Threats and smear campaign against Maximilienne Ngo Mbe and Alice Nkom

On 10 March 2015, it was reported that a presenter from the television channel Afrique Media verbally attacked human rights defender Ms Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, during a radio broadcast by Radio Balafon, a private radio channel in Douala. The presenter, who was a guest on the show, called on the public to mobilise against the human rights defender and her organisation Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits de l'Homme de l'Afrique Centrale – REDHAC (Central African Network of Human Rights Defenders), condemning them for “supporting equal rights for homosexuals” and accusing them of being agents of foreign states.

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe is the Executive Director of REDHAC, a coalition of human rights defenders active in eight countries in central Africa, based in Douala.

This threat is the latest in a series of serious threats and defamatory statements made against Maximilienne Ngo Mbe and REDHAC by presenters on Afrique Media since February 2015. According to the information received, on 1 March 2015, during a television show named Débat panafricain (Pan-African Debate), the presenters reportedly made defamatory statements about the human rights defender, including the allegation that all reports and speeches by REDHAC are “written by France and the Americans” in exchange for “vast sums of money”. One the presenters went further, issuing a death threat against the human rights defender, stating, “REDHAC shouldn't exist, and if the government doesn't do anything, she will be dealt with like the human rights activist who was shot at close range in Russia. REDHAC will even be burnt if necessary”. It is reported that during these statements, a photo of Maximilienne Ngo Mbe was displayed.

Previously, on 23 February 2015, during a show entitled Le Mérite Panafricain' (Pan-African Merit) broadcast by Afrique Media, several individuals appearing on the show reportedly made accusations against the human rights defender, in relation to her work as Director of REDHAC, as having received funds from the European Union and of being used by the Europeans and Americans to destabilise the country. Other panelists reportedly insulted the human rights defender as a “brainless person”, adding that “Ms Maximilienne walks from embassy to embassy, she has an NGO that deals with homosexuals, what does she know about human rights?” Prominent human rights lawyer Ms Alice Nkom, who is also chairperson of REDHAC and very vocal on LGBT issues, was called a ''so-called lawyer, who defends homosexuals'' and ''a witch''. These comments were repeated in an article published by Afrique Media several days later.

Front Line Defenders is concerned by the smear campaign and the threats made by Afrique Media against Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, Alice Nkom and REDHAC, and believes that these are directly linked to their peaceful and legitimate human rights work.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Cameroon to:

1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the threats and defamatory comments made against Maximilienne Ngo Mbe and Alice Nkom, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2. Take measures to ensure positive public recognition of the important role carried out by human rights defenders, including on issues such as violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Cameroon are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.