A young Cameroonian film director told AFP Monday he was kidnapped, interrogated for 11 days and tortured for a political fiction seen as lampooning President Paul Biya’s longevity.

Richard Fouofie Djimili insists his film entitled “139… The Last Predators” about an imaginary nation’s leader who has been in power 139 years and shows no sign of stepping down is not a reference to the 80-year-old Biya, who has been in power for three decades.

“I was abducted, held in a secret location for 11 days. During my detention, I was tortured. My finger was chopped off,” Djimili said, showing off his bandaged left arm.

“I was starved and I lost around 10 kilos. On the night of April 2, my kidnappers wanted to kill me and dump me in a swamp but one of them helped me escape,” he said.

Read More on this Cameroon News articles

President Paul BIya of Cameroon and President Barack H. Obama of USA along with first ladies

Cameroon director kidnapped, tortured for film is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Over 2,500 rights groups released a statement, saying Cameroon can further ‘demonstrate its growing commitment to justice and the rule of law’ by joining the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Coalition for the ICC ‘aims to secure universal acceptance of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the world’s first and only permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.’

“Respect for the rule of law and the fight against impunity are some of the noble objectives set by the Cameroonian government to be achieved in the very near future,” Roland Abeng, coordinator of Cameroon’s national Coalition for the ICC.

“Ratification of the Rome Statute and domesticating it within our legislation will certainly be a giant step forward. Cameroon cannot afford to miss playing a frontline role in the fight against grievous crimes.”

In a letter to Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, they urged the government to take concrete steps to finalize its ratification of the statute, including through the submission of legislation to the country’s parliament.

Francis Dako, another officer of the ICC Coalition, also remarked: “There are no legal obstacles to Rome Statute ratification in Cameroon — the issue is now one of political will.’

“Cameroon has recently shown greater commitment to the rule of law in accepting international treaties, and this trend should be taken one step further by becoming one of the next African states to join the ICC.

A little political will would go a long way,” he added.

International Criminal Court – Cameroon Government urged to join International Criminal Court is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Yaounde, Cameroon Africa. (Cameroon News)  - The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa has held a working session with the United Nations Department for Women to assess the level of gender equality in Cameroon.

During the session at the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family this morning the two partners examined the participation of the government in the elaboration of the UN Development Assistance Framework that will run from 2013 to 2017.

UN Women International Consultant for Gender Issues Françoise Coupal who comes back to purpose of the meeting and expresses her satisfaction about the government’s contribution:

The purpose of this meeting was to discuss with the government of Cameroon their appreciation of the level of commitment and engagement that the government has vis–à–vis UNDAF. It defines the development cooperation between the system of the UN and the government of Cameroon.

And I was particularly interested in the looking at what had been the level of participation of the government of Cameroon in the preparation of this development assistance framework. We wanted to know if the participation was simply a simple presence. The general conclusion was that the UN system heard and took into account the priorities and recommendations of the government in the elaboration of their development assistance framework…..That was the UN Women International Consultant for Gender Issues Françoise Coupal

Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa In Working session with the United Nations Department for Women is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Yaounde, Cameroon, Africa. (Cameroon News )   –  The Minister of Communications Issa Tchiroma Bakary has reiterated the government’s determination to promote press freedom in Cameroon. The Minister was speaking this morning in Yaoundé during the opening of a one-day workshop on the respect of human rights in the practice of journalism.

Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary reminded the pressmen and other guests of various national and international rules on human rights, some of the international conventions which Cameroon has ratified. To the Minister, press freedom is always restricted when the press violates human rights and tends to cause public violence.

The main speaker of the day explained how the media landscape has evolved positively across the world with the advent of information technologies. Only, he regretted that the influx of information reported tends to violate the rights of persons.

Brought up the debate between what is legal and what is right or rather just. He quoted the case of France where the media associations has adopted the label Press Francés that appears on the newspapers that have been marked as doing their job well. To him it is time to adopt the label Press Cameroonés that will be stamped on newspapers that would have done balanced reporting.

The Minister of Communications Issa Tchiroma Bakary used the occasion to react to a report he said that he followed on a foreign television station purporting that Cameroon does not protect freedom of speech. He concluded that the information is not true given the freedom with which journalists and diplomats express their views in the media. Some 50 pressmen are taking part in the Yaoundé seminar.

Here now with Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary on their plans to promote balanced reporting in the media landscape in Cameroon.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary: Liberty without accountability. You have to integrate this. You have to take this into account. Accountability, you are free to express yourself within the framework of ethics and [indiscernible 18:48] within the framework of law and regulation which are prevailing in our nation. In the days ahead I will invite you to join me here because I have a very important statement to make because all of us we have to come together in order to maybe start from the scratch what journalism stand for and how together can we better this profession…..Cameroon’s Minister of Communications Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

Some journalists and human rights activists in Cameroon are deepening their knowledge on the respect of human rights in the practice of journalism. While officially opening the one-day seminar this morning in Yaoundé the Minister of Communications Issa Tchiroma Bakary emphasized government’s efforts to achieve balanced reporting in the Cameroonian media landscape that do not violate the rights of citizens and conform to national and international laws. The workshop is an initiative of the Ministry of Communications.

Cameroon Minister of Communications Issa Tchiroma Bakary Calls For Respect of Human Rights In Practice of Journalism is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

The 17th edition of Rural Women’s Day comes up comes up next Monday, October 15th under the theme Rural Women Claim Your Space in Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change.

An official ceremony to mark the day will take place in Dschang in the Menoua Division of the West Region and will be chaired by the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family on Monday.

Mme. Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa will use the occasion to visit some female enterprises in the region and launch the Women’s Empowerment Center.

Cameroon Women: Rural Women Claim Your Space in Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

The Botswana high court has overturned a customary law which prevented women from inheriting the family home.

The judge ruled that the law contravened the constitution which guarantees equality for men and women.

Edith Mmusi and her sister have fought a five-year legal battle after their nephew said he was the rightful owner of their house.

Botswana high court guarantees equality for men and women is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Turkish officials have accused a Syrian passenger plane for carrying illegal cargo between Moscow and Damascus.

Turkey intercepted the Syrian airplane and searched it because of suspicions it was carrying military equipment but officials in Russia and Syria strongly denied the allegations and accused the Turkish authorities of endangering passengers and crew.

Syria – Turkey: Turkish officials have accused a Syrian passenger plane for carrying illegal cargo between Moscow and Damascus. is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

South African politician Julius Malema has reacted angrily to an official report into allegations of fraud involving a company he co-owns.

He said that public protector Thuli Madonsela’s investigation into the award being of a government tender to the firm found him guilty in absentia.

Mme. Madonsela said legal proceedings should be taken against the firm.

The firebrand politician who has been expelled from the governing ANC for sowing division in the party said the case was politically motivated.

Julius Malema reacts angrily to an official report allegations of fraud is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Stakeholders of the Cameron criminal justice system have begun dwelling into ways of promoting restorative justice in Cameron.

The Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedom says restorative justice is a concept that seeks to repair injuries to detainees and victims usually caused by delayed and overburdened justice.

Speaking today in Yaoundé while launching a seminar on restorative justice, Dr. Chemuta Divine Banda called on participants to properly acquaint themselves with the innovative concept and take steps towards promoting restorative justice, which he said is intended to be used as a complement to classical justice in Cameroon.

The one-day seminar, organized by the working group on Vulnerable Groups and Prison Fellowship of Cameroon has brought together stakeholders from the Ministry of Justice, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC), the media, the civil society and other partners.

Cameroon’s Deputy Justice Minister Maurice Kamto Resigns

Restorative Justice Focus of Cameron Criminal Justice System is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com

Yaounde, Cameroon Africa. (Cameroon News) – The government of Cameroon has tabled at the December 2011 extraordinary session of the National Assembly, a bill relating to the creation of a Special Criminal Court.

The Court, government specifies, will be specialized in trying cases of corruption, embezzlement of public funds and other related offences.

The bill was tabled at the opening plenary sitting of the December 2011 extraordinary session of the National Assembly chaired by House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril , Thursday, December 1, 2011 in the presence of some cabinet ministers led by Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon Yang.

The extraordinary session comes a day after the November 2011 ordinary session of the National Assembly ended with the hallmark being the voting of the 2012 draft State budget that stands at FCFA 2,800 billion.

Government explains that the fight against embezzlement of public funds and corruption has intensified through the ratification of international instruments, sensitization and creation of anti-corruption bodies, but the scourges continue to manifest themselves in diverse forms.

The creation of the Court is a measure to show a more effective and faster repression of corruption so as to make government action more visible.

Government in another bill seeks to amend the law on Judicial Organisation. The explanatory statement to the bill cites government’s efforts at fighting against corruption,

“However, the judicial management of cases of misappropriation of public funds and related offences is characterized by slow procedures which cast doubt, in the national and international opinion, on the real commitment of the Government to successfully carry out the fight against this scourge”, the statement reads.

CAMEROON'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING IN YAOUNDE, CAMEROON

Vice Prime Minister in charge of Justice, Amadou Ali will defend the two bills in the Committee on Constitutional Laws of the National Assembly on December 2, 2011, before they are scrutinized and adopted by the entire House in a plenary sitting.

Cameroon To Create Anti-corruption, Embezzlement Court is a post from: News Cameroon-Today.com