Written question asked by Baroness Stern (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 10 May 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 May 2022. It was answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Tuesday, 24 May 2022 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Cameroon: Press Freedom

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Cameroon to protect journalists at risk of (1) persecution, (2) arbitrary detention, (3) kidnapping, and (4) abuse, for reporting on the continuing conflict in the Anglophone regions; and what steps they will take to provide support for media freedom in that country.

Answer: Reports of human rights abuses and violations in Cameroon by both armed separatists and the security forces are disturbing, including against activists and journalists. We continue to regularly raise specific human rights concerns with the Government of Cameroon. We have consistently called for an end to arbitrary detentions and media infringements. Journalists should be protected and have the right to report freely without fear of violence. We also continue to urge the Cameroonian Government to remain engaged with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Finally, we are working with international partners, including France and the United States, to raise the North-West and South-West crisis in multilateral fora. At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2021, the UK called for an end to violence and impartial investigations to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses to account.

Secondary information