Martinez Zogo Cameroun: A coalition of Human Rights Organizations have demanded justice for the family of martinez zogo, an investigative journalist who was gruesomely murdered in Yaoundé
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Mourners place candles in a room of Radio Amplitude FM where a portrait of journalist Martinez Zogo has been placed to pay tribute to him, in the Elig Essono district in Yaounde on January 23, 2023. - A popular Cameroon radio journalist who had been missing following what a media rights group called an abduction has been found dead, his employer and police said on January 22, 2023. Martinez Zogo was managing director of Yaounde-based private radio station Amplitude FM and the star host of a popular daily programme, Embouteillage (Gridlock). On the air, the 51-year-old regularly tackled cases of corruption, not hesitating to question important personalities by name. (Photo by Daniel Beloumou Olomo / AFP)
Several Human Rights Organizations in Cameroon have in a Press conference/release demanded justice for the murder of an Martinez Zogo, an investigative journalist by several national and International organizations. below is the press release
Press conference: Kidnapping, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, murder of MBANI ZOGO Arsène Salomon better known as Martinez ZOGO, investigative journalist and head of AMPLITUDE FM in Yaoundé
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, It is with a lot of anger that we are talking to you today about the kidnapping, the sequestration, the inhuman and degrading treatments, the acts of torture and to crown it all, the murder of the journalist MBANI ZOGO Arsène Salomon better known under the name Martinez ZOGO.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we will not be long, we just announce that :
- We take the national opinion as witness of what follows: On January 20, 2023, the Government of Canada made public the official opening of negotiations between the State of Cameroon, the Ambazonia Governing Council and the Ambazonia Defense Forces, the African People’s Liberation Movement and the Southern Cameroon Defense Forces, the Interim Government and the Ambazonia Coalition Team. Something we welcome and have been asking for since 2017 which cost us all the threats and reprisals from some authorities.
- Journalists have paid a heavy price in Cameroon since the State of Cameroon decided to roll back fundamental freedoms and installed dictatorship. Crushing in the process and allowing the predators of public funds to crush all those who try to give true information to the people who are plunged into misery because of their bulimia. Thus François CHANNON, Serge Alain OTTOU, Jacques Blaise MVIE and Conrad ATANGANA, BBX MANCHO, Serge Aimé BIKOI. Some of them were harassed and others are still suffering from legal and judicial harassment and above all, they are in prison.
The worst happened yesterday, but we were already anticipating it. That is why we have in our urgent appeal pushed the Government of Cameroon to take its responsibilities. 24 hours later, we were served the lifeless body of Martinez ZOGO, mutilated, in an advanced state of decomposition. In view of the methods practiced in Cameroon since the dictatorship was installed, we know that Martinez was murdered.
Until when must we continue to accept these assassinations? Until when must we continue to refuse to be indignant, even if it costs us recriminations of all kinds? Mgr Benoit BALLA, KOUM KOUM, Bibi NGOTA, Samuel WAZIZI, MOWHA Franklin (DDH disappeared since 2018)
- To the international community, let it be said and heard once and for all: civil society and journalists have become the target of the dictatorial government of Cameroon. We will take our responsibilities. We know that these investigations will never lead to the truth, nor to just justice.
We ask you here and now (the United Nations, the African Union, the diplomatic representations accredited to Cameroon) to summon the government of Cameroon to release all journalists, political activists, and Anglophone prisoners of conscience. Finally, we ask you to accompany the organizations of the Civil Society so that the State of Cameroon is accountable in accordance with the treaties and conventions freely ratified. That the entire chain of commanders and executors be publicly punished. They are known.
Finally, we call on the Cameroonian people to mobilize in the face of this state terror established in Cameroon to demand the rule of law.
It is time for individual and collective responsibility.
You can download the press release through the link below:
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
