Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarms over a recent decree issued on July 16 in the region housing Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde. The decree grants authorities the power to expel “anyone who dangerously insults the [state] institutions or the person who embodies them.”
On July 18, the communications ministry followed up with a press release, asserting that “it is unacceptable for compatriots to use irreverent language” about President Paul Biya.
HRW criticized these developments, labeling them as “the latest in a series of troubling government decisions that appear to be aimed at stifling opposition and dissent ahead of the presidential elections in 2025.” The organization added, “It is becoming increasingly difficult to speak freely in Cameroon.”
Despite these concerns, the communications ministry maintained that Cameroon remains a democracy under the rule of law “where Cameroonians can express themselves without constraint.”
President Paul Biya, 91, has been in power for 42 years, with his government frequently accused by international human rights organizations of repressing opposition. His 2018 re-election to a seventh term, after a contested vote, triggered a wave of political repression.
