Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Cameroonian security forces of using lethal force, committing killings, and arbitrarily detaining hundreds in a violent crackdown following the disputed presidential election on 12 October.
In a report released on Wednesday, November 12, in Nairobi, HRW said police and gendarmes fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse opposition-led protests challenging President Paul Biya’s re-election, officially declared on 27 October with 53.66% of the vote.
Witness testimonies, including from relatives of victims, lawyers, and opposition figures, documented multiple killings, injuries, and arrests across several cities, with UN sources reporting 48 deaths and opposition groups claiming 55.
The rights group said hundreds of people, including minors, have been detained since the unrest, with legal aid sources reporting as many as 2,000 detainees nationwide, many without appearing before a judge. HRW’s senior Africa researcher, Ilaria Allegrozzi, called on Cameroonian authorities to release all peaceful protesters, investigate and prosecute those responsible for violence, and ensure due process for all detainees.
Cameroon’s Government, through Communications Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi, defended the security operations, saying authorities were responding to “illegal gatherings, roadblocks and violent mobs,” and warned that those inciting unrest would face the full force of the law. President Biya, the world’s longest-serving head of state since 1982, removed presidential term limits in 2008 and continues to maintain power amid allegations of electoral fraud, with his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, having declared himself the winner.