On 27 October, following the Constitutional Council’s announcement of the final results of the Cameroonian presidential election by declaring Paul Biya the winner with 53.66% of the vote, opposition leader and Front for National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC) candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary,  announced that an attack on his home had resulted in two deaths. 

On 26 October, the day before the results were announced, four protesters were killed in Douala amid peaceful demonstrations  across the country organised by Issa Tchiroma Bakary. Security forces used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, resulting in over a hundred arrests. 

On 25 October, Zouhaïra Hassana, a 30-year-old teacher,  lost her life during the protests in Garoua. Several protesters were arrested. Also, on that  day, two supporters of the FSNC candidate, Anicet Ekane and Djeukam Tchameni, were arrested. 

AfricTivistes firmly condemns this brutal repression and these arbitrary arrests, which contradict the preamble of the Cameroonian Constitution. This preamble guarantees every citizen the freedoms of expression, the press, assembly and association. These acts also violate Cameroon’s international commitments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The latter two documents guarantee the right to peaceful assembly in their respective Articles 11 and 21. 

We urge the Cameroonian authorities to respect their citizens’ right to peaceful protest and to stop using excessive force  against them.

As a reminder, on 12 October, over eight million voters were called to the polls to choose from thirteen candidates, including the two main frontrunners: the incumbent President Paul Biya and his former minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary. This election was characterised  by a strong desire for change and saw significant mobilisation from young people and women, who make up the majority of the population. 

On 22 October, the Electoral Council published provisional results  attributing 53.66% of the votes to Paul Biya and 35.66% to Issa Tchiroma Bakary. However, the latter claimed victory the day after the election, accusing the authorities of manipulating the results.

On 23 October, significant internet disruptions were experienced in many regions of Cameroon.  Citizens reported unstable connections and even total outages, including those using VPN.

AfricTivistes strongly condemns any deliberate restriction of internet access, particularly during election periods. These outages severely undermine freedom of expression and the right to access information, both of which are guaranteed by the Cameroonian Constitution. During this time, the Cameroonian authorities must:

• Ensure free, continuous, and secure access to the internet throughout  the country;
• Respect their national, regional, and international human rights commitments.

The democratic future of Cameroon depends r on trust between citizens and institutions, which can only be fostered  through transparency and respect for fundamental freedoms.

AfricTivistes expresses its solidarity with Cameroon’s citizens and pro-democracy activists who are fighting for electoral truth and justice. The network pays tribute  to the victims of this repression and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to democracy, peace and human rights across the continent.