On April 7th, Yebel Louisette epse Founga, a prominent environmental rights defender and Head of Communication at the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), was brutally murdered in the Elig Edzoa neighborhood in Yaoundé.
The Human Rights Defenders Network in Central Africa (REDHAC) has expressed deep concern over this heinous act, which they believe is part of a growing trend of insecurity targeting journalists, human rights defenders, and particularly women defenders in Cameroon. This was during an outing held in it’s headquarters in Douala on the 11th of April, 2024.
The investigation into the murder revealed that the alleged perpetrator is Louisette’s own son, Landry Batek Yebel, who was recently released from the National School of Administration and Judiciary, ENAM. Landry was reportedly under the influence of narcotics at the time of the murder, raising questions about the judicial system’s handling of recidivist offenders. Still according to the investigations, he was previously known to the gendarmerie for allegedly murdering his grandmother in December 2023.
It is against this backdrop that, REDHAC has called upon the international community, including the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), to take note of the escalating insecurity in Cameroon, particularly concerning journalists, human rights defenders, and women defenders.
The organization emphasized the need for urgent action to address the issue, as the murders of journalists Wazizi, Martinez Zogo, and Ola Béhé remain unresolved, with concerns over judicial delays and the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary.
The recent academic visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Association and Assembly, the President of the ACHPR of the African Union, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of Defenders and Focal Point on reprisals, who met with state and non-state actors on the general situation in Cameroon, has further highlighted the urgency of the situation.
REDHAC has expressed its dismay at the lack of state protection for journalists, who are essential in providing information to the population. The organization has urged the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic of Cameroon, to take immediate action to address the issue.
REDHAC calls for the establishment of protection and security mechanisms for journalists and human rights defenders, the swift administration of justice for all murdered colleagues, and the acceleration of the adoption process for the law on « Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists in Cameroon » before the Parliament.
It is worth noting, the situation in Cameroon remains volatile, with journalists and human rights defenders facing increasing threats and violence. The international community, including the United Nations, the African Union, ECCAS, and CEMAC, are called upon to take note of these developments and pressure the Cameroonian government to take concrete steps to ensure the safety and protection of journalists and human rights defenders.
