Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Assaulted by Police in Cameroon

According to his account to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the assault occurred as he sought information about a client arbitrarily arrested following a truck accident.

The incident reportedly took place around 10:30 am on Friday, December 22, in a garage on Mulango Street, Kumba.{loadmoduleid 377}

While attempting to inquire about his client's situation, the police, instead of providing information, allegedly subjected the lawyer to physical violence. "While I was trying to understand what was happening, the police started hitting me from all sides with the butts of their guns and threw me into their van like a piece of wood, accusing me of subverting police authority," recounted Barrister Tchemi. "My clothes were torn, and I have bruises all over my body."

The lawyer initially planned to file a complaint against the police officers but ultimately decided not to do so due to "the slow pace of justice in Cameroon regarding cases involving lawyers."

This assault adds to a concerning pattern of brutality and mistreatment faced by lawyers in Cameroon.

Human Rights Watch condemned the attack on Barrister Tchemi, emphasizing that lawyers, as defenders of the people, should not be targeted for carrying out their professional duties.

Lewis Mudge, HRW's Central Africa director, stated, "They should be able to work without fearing harassment or assault. Authorities should promptly, credibly, and impartially investigate today's attack on Tchemi."

Lawyers for Lawyers, in a statement released in November, highlighted the challenges faced by lawyers in Cameroon, including harassment, the use of anti-terrorism laws, and military courts to persecute those defending separatists, leading to arbitrary arrests.

A notable case is that of Barrister Amungwa Tanyi, violently beaten by gendarmes in Yaoundé in 2019 while assisting detainees accused of terrorism and secession. Despite filing a complaint with the Yaoundé court, no action has been taken against the perpetrators.

The incident involving Barrister Tchemi raises new concerns about the state of human rights and the rule of law in Cameroon.

The Anglophone regions, where an armed conflict has been ongoing since 2017, face an even more alarming human rights situation. Arbitrary arrests, detentions, and summary executions of civilians are increasingly recurrent human rights violations in these regions.

In this context, lawyers are not spared, further complicating the pursuit of justice.

Human rights advocacy groups, including HRW and Lawyers for Lawyers, call for a thorough investigation into this assault and urge the government to refrain from actions constituting harassment, persecution, or undue interference in the work of lawyers.

Pressure remains on the authorities to address these alarming incidents and preserve the rights and security of legal professionals in the country.{loadmoduleid 378}