Tougher Detention for Marafa Hamidou Yaya After Interview: Health and Visitation Concerns Rise

Wednesday, June 19, 2024** — Marafa Hamidou Yaya, the former Secretary-General of Paul Biya, is experiencing increasingly harsh detention conditions at the Secrétariat d’État à la défense (SED) in Yaoundé, according to Jeune Afrique.

Since granting an interview to the pan-African magazine in April, security measures at the SED have been significantly tightened, and his visitation rights have been severely restricted despite his critical health condition.

### Intensified Security Measures

Following his interview with Jeune Afrique on April 23, Marafa anticipated a tougher stance on his detention conditions at the SED, which houses the headquarters of the gendarmerie and an annex prison for former government officials and senior Cameroonian officials. His concerns were validated as security procedures were escalated at the SED, where the former Minister of Territorial Administration has been incarcerated since 2012. He is serving a 25-year sentence for "intellectual complicity in the embezzlement of public funds."

Previously, visitors faced two gendarmerie checkpoints: an identity check at the main entrance and a search at the annex prison entrance. Now, an additional checkpoint manned by the elite Groupement spécial d’intervention (GSO) has been added. This means visitors must pass an extra layer of security before reaching the pavilion that has been converted into Marafa's detention cell.

### Health and Visitation Concerns

Marafa Hamidou Yaya, suffering from severe glaucoma, has already lost sight in his right eye and fears losing vision in his left. Despite multiple requests to President Paul Biya for medical evacuation, his appeals have gone unanswered. Jeune Afrique reports that the presidency offered to bring in a technical team and Turkish doctors to provide the necessary medical care at a local hospital, but Marafa rejected this proposal due to concerns about post-operative care.

In addition to his health woes, almost all visitation permits issued by the prosecutor have been revoked following the interview's publication. Currently, only Marafa’s personal cook, who is responsible for delivering his meals, retains access. Furthermore, the number of family members allowed to visit has been drastically reduced. One of Marafa's daughters, who resides in the United States, was turned away at the SED entrance during a visit in May.

### Conclusion and Expectations

Marafa Hamidou Yaya's situation highlights the severe restrictions and deteriorating conditions faced by political detainees in Cameroon. The intensified security measures and reduced visitation rights reflect a punitive response to his public statements, exacerbating his already precarious health situation.

The international community and human rights organizations may need to intervene to ensure that Marafa receives the necessary medical attention and to advocate for improved detention conditions. The ongoing situation underscores the broader issues of governance and human rights within the Cameroonian justice system.