Arbitrary arrest and continued detention of human rights defender Abdul Karim Ali

The 11 February 2023 marked six months of the arbitrary detention of human rights defender Abdul Karim Ali in the North West region of Cameroon. The human rights defender was arrested whitout a warrant on 11 August 2022 and has been detained since, without any formal charges brought against him. Abdul Karim Ali was detained at the Secretariat of State Defense (SED) prison, and he was transferred on January 2023 to the Kadengui Central Prison in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Abdul Karim Ali is a human rights defender promoting peace and denouncing cases of human rights violations committed in the context of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. The human rights defender was reporting the human rights violations perpetrated by the Cameroonian military against civilians. Abdul Karim Ali was arbitrarily detained several times for his work as a peace activist and human rights defender.

On 11 August 2022, human rights defender Abdul Karim Ali was arrested without a warrant in the Ntamulung neighborhood in Bamenda, North-West region, Cameroon. Abdul Karim Ali was held at the regional gendarmerie legion, where he was detained incommunicado for several days. He was not allowed legal representation and a visit from family members until 13 August 2022. The human rights defender was told he was accused of “apology of terrorism” because he had a video showing alleged human rights abuses committed by a Cameroonian soldier against civilians in the country’s English-speaking region. However, the human rights defender has been detained for over six months without formal charges, in violation of international and regional human rights standards. In addition, the human rights defender has reported being placed in inhuman condition in a six-square-meter cell without windows, a toilet, or mattresses with 12 other detainees.

This is not the first time human rights defender Abdul Karim Ali faces arbitrary detention. He is regularly targeted and arrested because of his work as a peace advocate, being vocal on human rights violations committed against civilians by militaries and pro-government militia in the country's English-speaking region. On 25 September 2019 was arbitrarily arrested and detained at the Secretariat of State for Defense (SED). He was held incomunnicado for five days. On 1 November 2019, the human rights defender was released after several weeks detained without official charges. The arbitrary detention of Abdul Karim Ali without official charges is a violation of his constitutional rights.

Front Line Defenders expresses its grave concern at the arbitrary arrest and detention of Abdul Karim Ali, as it believes that he is facing reprisal for his peaceful and legitimate work denouncing human rights violations in Cameroon. Front Line Defenders respectfully reminds the authorities of Cameroon of its status as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, to guarantee that “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law.”