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

B100233/2025

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))

having regard to its previous resolution on Cameroon,

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

whereas press freedom is severely restricted in Cameroon; whereas journalists face frequent detention, attacks and imprisonment; whereas the charges brought against them are often based on unsubstantiated information, defamation and false news;

whereas Cameroon has one of the highest rates in Africa of imprisoning journalists; whereas the state-controlled judiciary makes extensive use of pre-trial and arbitrary detention, holding detainees incommunicado, and undertaking trials in military courts; whereas these practices violate due process rights and the right to a fair trial;

whereas Amadou Vamoulké, former managing director of the state-owned Cameroon Radio and Television, was arrested in 2016 and detained until his sentencing in 2022; whereas he appeared in court more than 140 times and was sentenced to 12 years in prison for alleged embezzlement; whereas in 2024 he was sentenced to an additional 20 years;

whereas freelance journalist Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka was tried in a military court and sentenced in 2024 to 10 years for alleged secession and complicity in an armed group;

whereas filmmaker Tsi Conrad, journalist Thomas Awah Junior and radio host Mancho Bibixy were tried in a military court in 2018 and sentenced to between 11 and 15 years in prison for alleged secession, hostility against the state and spreading fake news; whereas they were sentenced to additional jail time for protesting poor prison conditions;

whereas their trials were marred by long pre-trial detention and subsequent long delays in the appeals procedure;

whereas Conrad, Bibixy, Awah and Njoka were charged with anti-state actions relating to the reporting of the conflict in the English-speaking Northwest region; whereas thousands of people have been killed and over one million displaced as a result of the Anglophone conflict;

whereas Vamoulké, Awah Junior, Njoka and Bibixy reportedly have health problems in prison;

whereas civil society organisations have reported that media censorship is increasing in advance of the 2025 elections in Cameroon;

Expresses deep concern at the continued severe restrictions on press freedom in Cameroon;

Calls on the Cameroonian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, Tsi Conrad; urges the authorities to ensure in the interim that their basic rights are upheld and access to medical treatment is ensured;

Underlines the fundamental right of freedom of expression; calls on the Cameroonian authorities to protect and defend the rights of journalists to undertake their work free from harassment, intimidation, attacks and arrest;

Calls on the Delegation of the EU to Cameroon to continue observing trials and maintaining contact with journalists to support a safe environment for press freedom;

Calls on the Cameroonian authorities to ensure independent and transparent investigations are undertaken on attacks and killing of journalists;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, and the President, Government and Parliament of Cameroon.