PEN International has seen documentation showing that jailed Cameroonian writer Enoh Meyomesse will remain in detention at Kondengui Central Prison in Yaoundé until December 30, 2012, despite facing no charges. This means that the writer will have spent 13 months in prison, including one month spent in solitary confinement, without ever having been convicted of a crime.  A judge ordered the extension of Meyomesse’s detention so that the prosecutor could ostensibly search for evidence against the writer. PEN is appalled by the malicious detention of Enoh Meyomesse and calls for his immediate release.

Background Information

Enoh Meyomesse, 57, is the author of numerous books and is a founding member of the Cameroon Writers Association. He was arrested on November 22, 2011, and charged with attempting to organize a coup, possessing a firearm, and aggravated theft. Meyomesse denied all charges and maintained that he had been arrested because of views expressed in his writings, and for his political activism.
 
In the months following his arrest, the charges against Meyomesse began to crumble and, one by one, all charges were dropped. Meyomesse, however, remains in prison.
 
Meyomesse is also reportedly suffering from a degenerative eye condition. There are concerns that the time he spent in solitary confinement—where he was kept in total darkness—worsened his eyesight. He has not been receiving adequate medical treatment while in prison.
 
Cameroon has been ruled over by President Paul Biya for 30 years and has a poor record of human rights in general, and of free expression in particular.
 
PEN has been collaborating with a small group of Enoh Meyomesse’s friends and supporters who visit him regularly in prison. However, these supporters are now being subjected to attacks by pro-government media; one newspaper has recently described them as “vultures that are polluting the country.”

Write A Letter

  • Calling for the immediate release of Enoh Meyomesse on the grounds that he no longer faces any charges;
  • Demanding that he receive proper and urgent medical treatment for his eye condition.

Send Your Letter To

President
President Paul Biya
Fax: +237 22 22 08 70
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
>> Send a message online

Minister of Justice
Hon. Minister of Justice Amadou Ali
Ministry of Justice
Yaoundé
Cameroon
Fax: +237 22 23 00 05

Prime Minister
Mr. Philemon Yang
Fax: +237 22 23 57 35
Email: [email protected]

Please send a copy of your appeals to the diplomatic representative for Cameroon in your country if possible.

Please send appeals immediately. Contact PEN if sending appeals after August 20, 2012: ftw [at] pen.org