Samuel Wazizi alias Halla Ya Matter, presenter of Pidgin News on the CMTV television channel based in Buea, is currently in custody for the current socio-political situation in the north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon.
"Wazizi has been detained by the police for a few days and we have received reports that he was arrested by members of the Muea police station in the context of the English-speaking armed conflicts," journalist Mua Paul Kum said on Monday. A message posted on Facebook, August 5, 2019.
Mua added that many media have called for the unconditional release of the arrested journalist, saying that the practice of journalism in Cameroon should not be considered a crime.
A journalist aware of the situation said that Wazizi was under investigation for his alleged collaboration with armed separatists, otherwise known as Amba boys.
The Buea-based journalist, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, said: "I arrived last night and Wazizi has been in custody for almost a week now. that the police report an investigation, for having collaborated with Amba, his camera was seized and other working tools. "
In a publication on Facebook, Tah Mai Javis, former director of CMTV, said:" He [Wazizi] is one of the best and most animated animators in Pidgin in the southwestern region of Cameroon, arrested and still in detention, and is Samuel Wazizi, known as Hala Ya matta. CMTV station, I was working with him, I was producing the program, today he is behind the cables, I do not know what has brought him there now, but pray for him to see him at through. "
It is not known whether Samuel Wazizi is detained under Cameroon's anti-terrorism law, which allows the authorities to detain detainees indefinitely without charge.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Cameroon is the third worst imprisoned journalist in Africa, after Egypt and Eritrea, with at least seven journalists imprisoned for their work on 1 December 2018, according to the annual census of prisons. CPJ. This is the second worst group of imprisoned journalists in the world, after Egypt, after Egypt, according to the census.
"The Cameroonian authorities should stop trying to intimidate and censor journalists who are required to keep citizens informed about the political and economic situation," said Angela Quintal, CPJ Africa program coordinator, in New York in January 2019 after the arrest of journalists.
Journalists are finding it harder and harder to cover the events surrounding the crisis in the northwestern and southwestern regions of Cameroon.Security forces arrested several journalists during the crisis and separatists kidnapped others.
A statement is expected from the Syndicat des reporters camerounais (SNJC), as well as Cameroonian authorities.
Source: Cameroon-info.net