Bamenda Hosts Press Freedom Day as Cameroon Ranks Among Most Dangerous for Media

Held under the theme “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” the event brought together reporters and editors for speeches, a panel discussion and a comedy performance at Up Station Bamenda. But the celebration stood in sharp contrast to the grim realities facing many media workers across the country.

Cameroon has long been criticised for its authoritarian control of the press under President Paul Biya, now in power for over four decades. The government routinely targets journalists with surveillance, harassment, arbitrary arrest and even lethal force.

In August 2019, journalist Samuel Wazizi, a presenter for CMTV in Buea, was arrested and held incommunicado by military authorities. The government later admitted he had died in custody, though journalists and rights groups believe he was tortured to death. To date, no one has been held accountable.

Earlier, in January 2015, radio host Bibi Ngota died in prison while awaiting trial on charges critics say were politically motivated. His death sparked international condemnation, with watchdogs blaming poor prison conditions and the government's increasing use of pretrial detention to muzzle dissent.

In March 2022, Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo, director of Amplitude FM, was abducted and later found dead. His body showed signs of torture. The murder, widely believed to have been linked to his investigative work into corruption and embezzlement by state-linked elites, has led to arrests but no convictions.

"The very act of celebrating press freedom here in Bamenda is itself an act of courage," said one CAMASEJ member who requested anonymity due to fears of reprisal. "We report under surveillance. We live with the threat of arrest."

Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders consistently rank Cameroon among the most hostile countries for journalists. In its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders placed Cameroon 138th out of 180, citing a climate of fear and state censorship.

As conversations in Bamenda turn toward the implications of artificial intelligence for journalism, many reporters say they are still fighting for the basics — the right to report freely, safely, and without fear of persecution.

“There’s no real AI revolution for us yet,” said a local editor. “We are still being jailed, beaten, and buried.”