Reacting to the abduction and death of the Cameroonian journalist, Martinez Zogo, whose body was found on the outskirts of Yaoundé on 22 January, Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa said:
“Martinez Zogo, a respected journalist in the country and former managing director of the private radio station, Amplitude FM, regularly denounced alleged embezzlement by well-known personalities, particularly from the business world. His likely murder has to be added to the already too long list of people killed, raped, convicted or intimidated in Cameroon for speaking out about human rights violations, and this with total impunity.
“In a press release, the Cameroonian authorities have promised to do everything in their power to identify the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice. Amnesty International calls on the authorities to initiate and implement a prompt, effective, thorough and impartial investigation in order to shed light on this horrific event.
“They should also publicly recall the importance of freedom of information and expression as guaranteed by national and international laws and commit to protecting human rights defenders, including those who expose alleged corruption.
“Along with 10 other human rights organizations, Amnesty International had already called, on 10 June 2020, for an investigation into the forced disappearance and murder in detention of journalist Samuel Ajiekah Abuwe, known as “Wazizi”, arrested by the security and defence forces in August 2019 in Buea, in the South-West region. The Cameroonian authorities delayed ten months before admitting he had died in detention. The results of the investigation that was apparently conducted by the military police and sent to the Head of State have thus far not been made public.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
