François Hollande Advocates for Urgent Release of Marafa Hamidou Yaya in Cameroon: A Diplomatic Plea for Justice

Former French President, François Hollande, has taken a notable initiative by advocating for the release of Marafa Hamidou Yaya to Cameroonian President, Paul Biya. This noteworthy initiative, disclosed by Jeune Afrique, sheds light on the complex web of politics surrounding Yaya's imprisonment and the pressing need for his release.

Hollande's involvement is not merely symbolic; it materialized through a letter addressed to Cameroonian President Paul Biya, delivered via the French Ambassador in Yaoundé, Thierry Marchand, in mid-January. This diplomatic intervention comes after two crucial meetings between Hollande and Yaya's family, occurring in October 2023 and January 2024.

The urgency of Yaya's situation is accentuated by a medical certificate issued on December 4, 2023, by Professor Antoine Labbé from the National Ophthalmology Hospital of Quinze-Vingts. The document details an extremely severe bilateral glaucoma, resulting in the complete loss of vision in Yaya's right eye. Professor Labbé warns of the imminent risk of total blindness, underscoring the critical need for immediate medical intervention.

Marafa Hamidou Yaya, a member of Cameroon's ruling party, received a 25-year prison sentence in 2012 for "intellectual complicity" in the Albatros case, related to the controversial presidential plane purchase. However, his conviction has been marred by political controversies, with allegations linking his downfall to opposition against Paul Biya's candidacy in the 2004 presidential election.

Hollande's plea for Yaya's release adds weight to the international chorus calling for justice. Various entities, including the U.S. Department of State, the Socialist International, and human rights organizations, have echoed the demand for Yaya's freedom. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has gone further, labeling his imprisonment a "violation of international law" and urging both immediate release and compensation for the harm suffered.

As the political intricacies surrounding Yaya's case continue to unfold, François Hollande's intervention highlights the intersection of diplomacy and humanitarianism, bringing global attention to the plight of a man whose health is deteriorating in the confines of a prison cell.