Cameroon
19.12.00
Urgent Interventions
Cameroon: death threats against torture victim
Case CMR 191200
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Cameroon.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the ACAT Cameroun and Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme, both members of the OMCT network, that Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang, a teacher aged 29, has been subjected to death threats by uniformed men following a complaint he lodged against the persons responsible for his torture.
According to information received, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was allegedly tortured by members of the ‘Commandement opérationnel’. He suffers from, among other pains, a polytraumatism. Following the torture suffered, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang lodged a complaint against his torturers - among whom he identified Guy Merlin Tchuigue, belonging to the national navy - to the SEMIL Littoral (Military Security).
At the request of the SEMIL, another complaint was written, lodged against the Commissaire du Gouvernement (Military Tribunal of Douala). However, when lodging the complaint, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was pushed away by a warrant officer and threatened with the following words: "The rule of law exists in Cameroon and an individual cannot lodge a complaint against an uniformed man". His complaint was refused.
According to the same information, some days ago, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was slapped in the face by a soldier as he was leaving his classes. He was threatened by the soldier, who told him that the Commandement opérationnel was a supreme authority which had no explanation to give and that he was given the order to kill him. Fortunately, the soldier was unarmed.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Cameroon urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Monsieur le Président, Paul Biya. Palais de la Présidence. Fax +237 22 16 99
Representatives of Cameroon in your country.
Geneva, 19 December 2000.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Cameroon.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the ACAT Cameroun and Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme, both members of the OMCT network, that Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang, a teacher aged 29, has been subjected to death threats by uniformed men following a complaint he lodged against the persons responsible for his torture.
According to information received, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was allegedly tortured by members of the ‘Commandement opérationnel’. He suffers from, among other pains, a polytraumatism. Following the torture suffered, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang lodged a complaint against his torturers - among whom he identified Guy Merlin Tchuigue, belonging to the national navy - to the SEMIL Littoral (Military Security).
At the request of the SEMIL, another complaint was written, lodged against the Commissaire du Gouvernement (Military Tribunal of Douala). However, when lodging the complaint, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was pushed away by a warrant officer and threatened with the following words: "The rule of law exists in Cameroon and an individual cannot lodge a complaint against an uniformed man". His complaint was refused.
According to the same information, some days ago, Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang was slapped in the face by a soldier as he was leaving his classes. He was threatened by the soldier, who told him that the Commandement opérationnel was a supreme authority which had no explanation to give and that he was given the order to kill him. Fortunately, the soldier was unarmed.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Cameroon urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Blaise Tanonkou Kamgang;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Monsieur le Président, Paul Biya. Palais de la Présidence. Fax +237 22 16 99
Representatives of Cameroon in your country.
Geneva, 19 December 2000.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.