Amnesty International is demanding the release of 36 opposition supporters in Cameroon who have spent the past five years in prison for staging peaceful protests against President Paul Biya’s rule. The detainees, all members of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), were arrested in 2019 and handed sentences ranging from one to seven years on charges of “rebellion” and “attempted insurrection.” Amnesty says their detention is arbitrary and violates their right to free expression.
The crackdown has intensified ahead of Cameroon’s October 12 presidential election. In August, security forces arrested 54 more MRC supporters in Yaoundé after the electoral commission rejected opposition leader Maurice Kamto’s candidacy. Though those detainees were later freed on bail, rights groups say the arrests underscore the shrinking political space in the country. The UN Human Rights Office has also warned that repression could prevent voters from freely exercising their rights.
At 92, Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon for nearly 43 years, making him Africa’s second-longest-serving head of state after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea. He is now seeking an eighth seven-year term, alongside 11 other candidates including Issa Tchiroma Bakary. If successful, Biya could remain in office until nearly 100 years old.
Despite its vast oil and mineral wealth, Cameroon continues to face deep poverty, widespread corruption, and a simmering separatist conflict in its English-speaking regions. According to UN estimates, at least 43% of its nearly 30 million citizens live below the poverty line, lacking access to basic income, education, and healthcare. Amnesty says releasing the MRC detainees would be a first step toward restoring public trust and ensuring a credible electoral process.
