Cameroon: Right Group Condemns the arbitrary arrest and torture of Longue Longue, calls for investigations and reparation
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The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa have a press release titled “CHRDA/HR12/24 STATEMENT ON THE TORTURE OF MR. LONGKANA AGNO SIMON Α.Κ.Α “LONGUE LONGUE”, calls on the Cameroonian government to urgently investigate and bring the perpetrators of the inhuman and degrading treatment given to the above-stated Cameroonian Musician.
An act described by CHRDA in a statement as Torture while citing international conventions to support their case, CHRDA said they had received with shock a video that has been circulating on several social media platforms capturing the torture of a civilian by some elements of Cameroon Defense and Security Forces.
While confirming that the video dates back to April 2019, the victim of this cruelty whom they got the name as Mr. Longkana Agno Simon, a well-known Cameroonian Musician and entertainer with the stage name “Longue Longue” was arbitrarily arrested in Douala by elements of the Military Security (SEMIL)-one of Cameroons Special Forces.
Describing the video, CHRDA said in their signed and stamped statement that the victim was restrained with a chair and brutally tortured by over half a dozen military officers with the use of a machete while recording the act. In yet another video, CHRDA confirmed that he was arbitrarily arrested, detained and severely tortured by these elements who were not on military attire.
According to CHRDA, these acts were committed under the auspices of a certain Commander Bernard Mbu Tabala, who was then, in charge of the Douala Branch of SEMII. and presently a Lieutenant-Colonel and in charge of the Kribi Navy-First Joint Military Region (RMIAI).
According to CHRDA, The 1996 Constitution of Cameroon as amended in 2008 in its preamble states “every person has a right to life, to physical and moral integrity and to humane treatment in all circumstances. Under no circumstances shall any person be subjected to torture, to cruel, Inhumane or degrading treatment.” The preamble further states that “no person may be prosecuted, arrested or detained, except in the cases and according to the manner determined by law every accused person is presumed innocent until found guilty during a hearing conducted in strict compliance with the rights of defense…” Article 65 of this constitution makes the preamble a part and parcel of the constitution and therefore binding in equal force The Cameroon Penal Code of 2016 as amended in 2019 in its Section 277-3 criminalizes torture. Section 277-3 (6) states “No exceptional circumstances, whatever they are, whether the state of war or threat of war, internal political stability or state of exception, may be invoked to justify torture” The acts committed above are directly violates the above provisions.
At the end of the statement, CHRDA has call on the State of Cameroon through the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seal to ensure that the victim of this barbaric act in the person of Mr. Longkana Agno Simon, Alias “Longue Longue” gets proper reparation in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code of Cameroon as well as other national and international rules and regulations in force
Click below to download full statement
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.
