Cameroon attorneys Michel Togué and Alice Nkom this week received the Geuzenpenning Award for their work defending LGBTI clients in that repressive African country. Togué and Nkom are the longest-serving of only about four Cameroonian attorneys who accept LGBTI clients. Others are Charlotte Cathy Moundo and Jathan Ndongo, two associates of Togué, working in Yaoundé, … Continue reading
By Erin Royal Brokovitch A Cameroonian LGBT rights activist was detained in Bafoussam on Feb. 11 and told to pay for his release. The president of the LGBT rights group Avenir Jeunes de l’Ouest, (here called F.) had traveled to Bafoussam seeking the release of a gay man who had been arrested there six days … Continue reading
In Cameroon, LGBT associations are working together as never before, signing up to create a Human Rights Observatory that will act as a watchdog against violations of the rights of LGBT people and human rights defenders. Continue reading
By Jean Marc Yao The west-central African nation of Cameroon has adopted a new criminal code which, unfortunately, shows no signs of shaking off the nation’s homophobia. As with the previous penal code, adopted in 1967, the new one that the National Assembly adopted June 22 punishes homosexuality up to 5 years of imprisonment. [Editor’s … Continue reading
Reporter Robbie Corey-Boulet conducted an in-depth investigation into the death of Roger Mbede, a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience who was imprisoned in 2011 in anti-gay Cameroon for amorous text messages, was released from prison in 2012 in poor health, and died last year under suspicious circumstances at his family’s home. These are excerpts … Continue reading
There’s reason to hope that the often-homophobic African nation of Cameroon is on the road to eventually ensuring fair treatment for its LGBTI citizens, says Alice Nkom, the 69-year-old attorney who is one of two or three lawyers in the country who accept LGBTI people as clients. “We see a change, a visible change. The … Continue reading
In Cameroon, the number of prosecutions and convictions of LGBTI people has dropped markedly after years of hard work by local activists and two attorneys advocating for recognition of the human rights of LGBTI people. Cameroon has not repealed the law known as “347 bis,” which provides for up to five years in prison for … Continue reading
Press release, modestly edited: London Pride 2015 The African LGBTI organisation Out and Proud Diamond Group celebrated African LGBTI Heroes during London Pride 2015. The group honored people who have stood up against anti-gay environments and regimes in Africa. Some of these heroes lost their lives during the struggle to liberate us and others against … Continue reading
We publish the call to associations and peers in the struggle for human rights and in particular for the rights of LGBTI people, by the CAMFAIDS team in Cameroon inviting all human rights defenders to commemorate July 15th as Human Rights Defenders Day. Dear colleagues and peers in the struggle for human rights and in … Continue reading
Seven LGBT people who were arrested Oct. 1 on homosexuality-related charges have been released in Cameroon. All had faced charges of homosexuality and prostitution, including four who were released today and three released previously. The anti-AIDS, pro-human rights group Camfaids announced the release. Camfaids said that the LGBT detainees expressed their thanks to their attorneys, … Continue reading
