An association filed a complaint with the Paris court on Friday against the Cameroonian authorities and against X for torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment. This association created at the beginning of the year in France, the Respondere advocatus Network, brings together a dozen lawyers and representatives of other professions. It claims to want to defend Cameroonian and African political leaders whom it considers in danger because of their political commitment.
In its complaint, the Respondere advocatus Network refers to three events that took place last year in Cameroon: the demonstrations of January 26 and June 1, organized by the opposition party, the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC), and the mutiny of July 22, at the central prison in Yaoundé. The association claims that during or after these events torture and inhuman and degrading treatment were inflicted on Cameroonian citizens. “This regime uses force, the army and the police to repress any democratic expression,” said Amédée Touko, a lawyer and secretary general of the association.
The Respondere advocatu Network refers to the findings of several international organizations, such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch, and says it has photos and videos. In its complaint, it cites dozens of names: national, regional and military authorities, including people suspected of having directly committed these acts, but also their superiors.
The association created in France has decided to file a complaint in Paris, as the law allows, according to Maître Amédée Touko: “We also believe that this newly arrived minister has a very open mind regarding human rights and freedom. We believe that we can obtain very special attention from the public prosecutor’s office”. The association is now waiting for the public prosecutor’s office to decide on this complaint in the coming weeks.