On the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad

B100235/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad

(2025/2627(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Cameroon,

– having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas press freedom in Cameroon has been in decline for more than a decade; whereas journalists are routinely detained, attacked, censored, and imprisoned on anti-state, criminal defamation, false news, and/or retaliatory charges;

whereas Cameroon uses lengthy pre-trial and arbitrary detention, where journalists have been held incommunicado, and convictions are handed down by military courts, among other serious violations of fair trial and due process rights;

Strongly condemns repeated attacks on journalists, including killings, physical violence and arbitrary detentions, continued pressure on critical media outlets and reporting bans;

Strongly condemns the continued detention of journalists Amadou Vamoulké since 2016, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka since 2020, Mancho Bibixy since 2017, Thomas Awah Junior since 2017 and Tsi Conrad since 2016, all sentenced to long prison sentence in trials that failed to meet due process standards;

Deplores the widespread use of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, as well as torture and ill-treatment in Cameroon’s official and unofficial detention facilities, including against political opponents, journalists, and political activists and is deeply concerned by attacks on civil society and political groups;

Deeply regrets the absence of effective investigations and accountability in past cases of killing of journalists, including in the cases of Martinez Zogo, Jean-Jacques Ola Bebe and Anye Nde Nsoh in 2023 as well as of Samuel Wazizi who died while forcibly disappeared in 2019;

Urges Cameroonian authorities to release all journalists, media professionals, activists and lawyers arbitrarily detained for exercising their human rights, ensure their right to a fair trial, and provide full accountability for the killings of journalists and attacks on civilians;

Urges Cameroonian authorities to end the practice of trying civilians in military courts and stop abusively invoking terrorism, anti-state and “false news” charges in cases against journalists;

Urges the Commission and the EEAS to actively respond to restrictions against journalists, including ensuring comprehensive trial observation, visiting journalists in detention, and maintaining active contact with marginalised or at-risk journalists, as well as their families and colleagues;

Urges the Council to consider sanctions against individuals who have led, or been complicit in human rights violations against members of the press in Cameroon, including abductions, torture, killings and arbitrary detentions;

Urges the EU and its Member States to raise individual cases, press for the release of detained journalists and call for accountability in cases of attacks on journalists and civilians, and to tie their cooperation with Cameroon to genuine progress and reform on human rights and freedom of expression;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the African Union, and the authorities of Cameroon.