Amnesty
International has condemned the 10 years imprisonment imposed by a
Military Court in Cameroon on three young men, Fomusoh Ivo Feh, and
his friends Afuh Nivelle Nfor and Azah Levis Gob – who were convicted of
‘non-denunciation of terrorist acts’ following a trial in Yaoundé.
Samira Daoud, Amnesty International
Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa said Fomusoh Ivo
and his two friends should never have been arrested in the first place,
as they were simply exercising their right to freedom of expression.
“Instead of being in school like their
friends, these three young men will now spend years of their lives in
prison for a simple joke.
“This ruling is clear evidence that
Cameroonian military courts should not have jurisdiction to try
civilians. The Cameroonian authorities must quash their conviction and
sentence and immediately and unconditionally release all three of them,”
Daoud stated.
Ivo, 27, whom Amnesty International
considers to be a prisoner of conscience, was arrested on 13 December
2014 after forwarding his friends a sarcastic SMS referring to Boko
Haram. He was held in police custody in Douala before being transferred
to Yaoundé Prison in January 2015.
Credit:
Cameroon Military court jails men who joked about Boko Haram
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