Cameroon Faces UN Scrutiny on Torture Amid Security Crises

The Cameroonian delegation, led by Mr. Ehet Salomon, the country's permanent representative to international organizations in Geneva, will be tasked with defending the nation's human rights record.

This appearance comes at a particularly fraught time, following the release of a troubling report by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), which sheds light on the ongoing situation in Cameroon. The report’s findings reveal a troubling pattern of torture carried out by security forces and special units, raising serious concerns about the government's adherence to its obligations under the Convention Against Torture, to which Cameroon is a signatory.

The security situation in Cameroon is compounded by two major crises: the Boko Haram insurgency, which has been ongoing since 2014, and the ongoing conflict in the English-speaking regions that began in 2016. In response to these challenges, Cameroonian authorities have implemented controversial measures, notably the 2014 anti-terrorism law, which has been used to target entire communities suspected of supporting separatist factions, further deepening the concerns regarding human rights violations in the country.