Global Conscience

Security operatives in Buea, Southwest Region of Cameroon have yielded to pressure for human rights organisations and released three former executive members of the University’s student’s union (UBSU) it has been holding in incommunicado detention.

Police reportedly summoned the trio to their head office in Buea and questioned them with regards to the ongoing violence in the University and then put them behind bars. When a GCI staff visited the police station, she was denied access to the students and a police officer said they had firm instructions not to grant access to legal assistance to the students.

GCI found the arrest and detention, incommunicado, inconsistent with Cameroonian laws, and complained to the Senior State Counsel of Buea against the abuse of the students and of the law by the police, especially their boss. Read complaint.

Maxcelus Atanga, Bara Mark Bareta and Mboh Tanyi Mboh were released on Monday November 8, 2009 after spending five nights in the cold police cell.

It is worth noting that the Southwest Regional Office of the National Human Rights Commission had also petitioned the Senior State Counsel about the “victimization and persecution” of the students, calling on the State Prosecutor to cause their immediate and unconditional release.

Read full details of arrest and detention
Read statements from detained students
Read GCI plaint to Senior State Counsel