Credit: youtube / Federica Maria Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The European Union is calling for the release of jailed opposition members in Cameroon, a halt to escalating violence, and human rights violations.  There have been growing concerns over the Cameroonian government’s arrest of main political opposition leader Maurice Kamto and others, since the central west African nation’s controversial elections last October. 

“Key opposition figures are under arrest and face military trials. More than a hundred protesters or sympatizers are facing prolonged detentions. Defense lawyers claim that Cameroon’s own legal procedures are not being respected. A de facto ban has been imposed on marches and protests of the opposition, which is clearly not in line with the constitutional rights of Cameroonian citizens.”

-Federica Maria Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs,  Apr. 18, 2019 speech Strasbourg, France, addressing the situation in Cameroon. 

International pressure continues to mount on the government of Cameroon to free jailed opposition leader  Kamto who has been incarcerated since Jan. 28, 2019. 

Credit: © Borigue/Flickr/  Cameroon  Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC) opposition leader Maurice Kamto was arrested by Cameroonian authorities  in January 2019 and charged with insurrection

Kamto, who insists he won last October’s presidential election, was arrested and charged with insurrection. Paul Biya,  an 85-years-old veteran leader,  who has ruled Cameroon for 36 years, was  sworn in last November as the Central African country’s  President for a seventh term. The opposition accused the October 7 elections of being rigged in favor of Biya.   Kamto and more than 150 supporters were arrested in January after taking part in anti-government demonstrations, and are being tried in military courts for charges including ‘hostility to the homeland’.

“On behalf of all the 28 Member States, we have asked for the release of detainees against whom hard evidence cannot be produced and we asked for an immediate halt to violence, to human rights violations and hate speech. Regrettably, unlawful killings and atrocities continue to be reported regularly, allegedly involving both the security and defense forces and separatist groups. The humanitarian consequence of this situation are alarming, with about half a million internally displaced people and over 32,000 refugees from Cameroon registered in Nigeria.”

-Federica Maria Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs

"We need to continue our humanitarian support. At the same time we will continue to push for the respect of human rights in Cameroon and to ask to shed light on human rights violations fully" @FedericaMog #EPlenary pic.twitter.com/REgMlRgJNw

— European External Action Service – EEAS 🇪🇺 (@eu_eeas) April 18, 2019

The Cameroonian government “must ensure that Maurice Kamto has been arrested and jailed for legitimate reasons. I really think it would be wise to release him.” 

-U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Tibor Nagy