Groups fighting for the protection of rights have made calls for the humanisation of prison and detention conditions in countries of Central Africa. The civil society groups made the calls in Douala during debate conferences on December 9 and 10 as a part of activities to commemorate the 62nd edition of the International Human Rights Day celebrated every year on December 10.
The Association for the Promotion of Human Rights and Socio-Economic Status of Vulnerable Women and Children, known by its French acronym as PRISE, in collaboration with Ndjamena-based Partners Association to Share Development Support, APAD, last December 9 held a debate conference on the theme: “Human Rights: Specific Detention Conditions and Socio-Economic Reinsertion of Vulnerable Persons (Women and minors) in Detention Centres.” After field works, officials of both groups expressed worries with the very many detainees languishing in detention centres for years without being heard, even once, in a court of law. “This is violating his presumption of innocence, impairing the equitability of the law and violating the individual fundamental rights,” according to Priso Leon, Rapporteur for Cameroon’s National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms who presided over the debate conference.
Henri Tedongmo Teko, sociologist, advised that detention centres and prisons should be to correct and reinsert inmates into society through social and economic venues, especially to prevent frustration and relapse into crime. “Ex-convicts should be reinserted in to social and economic life like anybody else in society,” he went on.
On its part, the sub-regional NGO, Network of Human Rights Defenders, known by its French acronym as REDHAC, working extensively in Cameroon, Gabon, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Congo-Brazzaville, CAR, and Sao Tome and Principe gave a open day, debate and news conference on December 10, during which it revealed that freedom of expression, as a fundamental right is still largely violated in the sub-region. Speaking on the theme of this year’s Human Rights Day, “Human rights defenders who act to end discrimination”, the REDHAC Executive Chairperson, Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, underscored her organisations role in defending rights defenders. “Those involved in the defence of people rights ought to be defended too because most often they end up being victims in the process.”
