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The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) has voiced “deep outrage and concern” over escalating human rights violations in Cameroon following the announcement of presidential election results.
The declaration confirmed that 92-year-old President Paul Biya secured an eighth term with 53.7% of the vote on October 27, 2025. This result immediately triggered spontaneous peaceful protests, particularly in major cities like Douala, which were met with a severe government crackdown.
WACSI stated that the government’s response—including severe internet restrictions, a blanket ban on public assemblies, and the deployment of security forces using live ammunition—constitutes a serious attack on fundamental freedoms and civic space.
The violence has reportedly resulted in at least four demonstrator deaths and numerous injuries.
The Institute characterised these actions as undermining the democratic process and risking broader political instability, emphasising that by restricting communication and assembly, Cameroonian authorities are violating international treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The organisation specifically condemned the digital restrictions, noting that “These digital barriers deprive citizens of their right to seek, receive, and impart information.”
Internet shutdowns effectively silence online communication, block social media platforms, and hinder the real-time documentation of electoral irregularities. WACSI also reserved its strongest denunciation for the use of lethal force against unarmed citizens, calling it a serious violation of the right to life and a deliberate strategy to shrink civic space by criminalising legitimate, peaceful civic participation.
In light of the crisis, WACSI issued an urgent call for the Cameroonian authorities to take immediate de-escalation steps.
These demands include the immediate lifting of all internet restrictions; lifting the ban on peaceful protests and civic assemblies; ceasing the use of lethal force and conducting independent investigations into the reported killings; and the unconditional release of all individuals detained during the post-electoral protests.
Furthermore, WACSI urged the authorities to initiate an inclusive national dialogue with opposition parties and civil society to address electoral grievances.
Finally, the Institute called upon regional bodies, specifically the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the African Union, to urgently deploy fact-finding and mediation missions.
These external actions are considered essential to monitor human rights compliance, enforce continental protocols on democracy and governance, and prevent further escalation of the political crisis.
