SNJC defends imprisoned colleague Simon Ateba

The professional organization has released a statement in connection with the arrest of expatriate Cameroonian journalist Simon Ateba.

In the document, the president Denis Nkwebo demanded "the immediate and unconditional release" of the specialist investigative journalist arrested while conducting an investigation on living conditions of Nigerian refugees in Chad and Cameroon.

For the National Union of Journalists of Cameroon (SNJC), "the arrest of Simon Ateba is both outrageous and ridiculous." It calls for solidarity of all Cameroonian journalists to Simon Ateba, a journalist who "is the pride of Cameroon and Nigeria."

Here in its entirety is the reaction of SNJC:

SNJC DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF SIMON ATEBA

On 28 August 2015, Simon ATEBA, Cameroonian journalist based in Nigeria, was arrested by Cameroonian security forces and transferred to Minawao in Mokolo in the Far North region. At the time of his arrest, Simon ATEBA, former journalist with Le Jour was investigating the lives of Nigerian refugees in Chad and Cameroon, on behalf of the International Centre for investigative reporting (ICIF), as part of a Project for investigative reporting in Nigeria.

Simon ATEBA, who says he informed all Cameroonian authorities of his mission, was arrested as he left the refugee camp of Nigerians in Minawao. He is accused by the security services of being a spy of Boko Haram.

The Executive Director of ICIF, Dayo AIYETAN and the president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abdulwaheed ODUSILE, confirmed to the National Union of Journalists of Cameroon (SNJC) that Simon ATEBA is indeed a professional journalist who recently received a grant from the ICIF.

Therefore, the SNJC demands the immediate and unconditional release of Simon ATEBA. Simon ATEBA accused of spying is both outrageous and ridiculous, given the professional respect he enjoys within the guild of journalists in Nigeria.

The SNJC holds the Cameroonian government responsible for what might happen to the journalist in custody, without food, without medical care despite health concerns that he immediately reported.

The SNJC calls for general mobilization to defend the freedom of information that the Government of Cameroon does not see with a good eye.

The SNJC calls for solidarity of all Cameroonian journalists to Simon ATEBA, who is the pride of Cameroon and Nigeria.

Written in Douala, August 29, 2015

For the Executive Office

National President a.i.
Denis Nkwebo
Journalist