Case CMR 080501

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 ACAT
Cameroun and Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme, both members
of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and detention of around ten
demonstrators in Cameroon.

According to the information received, the Cameroon police forces have
allegedly arrested around 10 demonstrators in Duala's New Bell
neighbourhood, including Thameni Djeukam, Léandre Djino, Peter
William Mandio, Pokam Sindjou (Yaounde 1st University philosophy
researcher) and Olivier Sande.

According to the reports, these persons were engaged in organising a
rally, being held to mourn all the victims of the Operational Command
(Commandement Opérationel) and, more generally, the victims of the
current regime in Cameroon, which has been in place since April 6th 1984.
The Operational Command was established in February 2000 to combat
banditry, especially in Douala, but has since been accused of carrying
out human rights abuses.

OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity
of all of the detainees, notably for Olivier Sande, who has already
survived 40 days of incarceration and ill-treatment by the Operational
Command in their detention facilities known as "Kosovo," and is a key
witness of human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial
executions, allegedly conducted by the Operational Command.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Cameroon urging them to:

1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of Thameni Djeukam, Léandre Djino,
Peter William Mandio, Pokam Sindjou and Olivier Sande;
2. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal
charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial
and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at
all times;
3. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the
circumstances of these arrests in order to identify those
responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or
administrative sanctions as provided by law;
4. 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

Please also write to the embassies of Cameroon in your respective
country.

Geneva, May 8, 2001

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.

Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
8 rue du Vieux-Billard
Case postale 21
CH-1211 Geneve 8
Suisse/Switzerland
Tel. : 0041 22 809 49 39
Fax : 0041 22 809 49 29
E-mail : [email protected]
http://www.omct.org