Cameroon: Kidnapping of a journalist and arrest of another in a climate of tension
On October 25, 2024, Atia Tilarious Azonhwi, a Cameroonian English-speaking journalist, was abducted in Bamenda, North-West region. The following day, the Cameroon English-speaking Journalists Association (Camasej) called for his release, expressing concern for their colleague’s safety. That same day, another journalist, Patrick Thierry Ondoua, was arrested by the police as part of an investigation into embezzlement of public funds.
The kidnapping of Atia Tilarious Azonhwi in Bamenda
The abduction of Atia Tilarious Azonhwi took place in Bamenda, a region plagued by separatist tensions. According to a local human rights organization, he was abducted along with three others. Camasej reacted quickly, demanding his release and pleading for respect for freedom of the press.
Arrest of journalist Patrick Thierry Ondoua in embezzlement case
Meanwhile, Patrick Thierry Ondoua, the publishing director of the newspaper Le Point Hebdo , was taken into custody while investigating a case of embezzlement of public funds. Cyrille Kuete, president of the International Press Publishers Association, confirmed his detention. The arrest has raised concerns among press freedom advocates.
A tense context for journalists in Cameroon
Since the start of separatist violence in 2016 in the English-speaking regions, kidnappings have been frequent. In October, a sub-prefect of the South-West region was also kidnapped, illustrating the growing insecurity. In addition, journalists and opposition activists have been regularly targeted under the regime of President Paul Biya, re-elected for a seventh term in 2018.
Conclusion
The kidnappings and arrests of journalists in Cameroon reflect the growing dangers facing media professionals, particularly in the Anglophone regions. Calls for the release of Atia Tilarious Azonhwi and for greater protection of press freedom are growing, in a context where insecurity and repression make the exercise of journalism increasingly perilous.
Une perspective enrichissante sur une problématique actuelle.