The debate over freedom of expression in Cameroon has once again taken centre stage, with growing concern that public dissent is increasingly absent from the nation’s streets.
While in Côte d’Ivoire opposition groups have mobilised to denounce President Alassane Ouattara’s fourth term, Yaoundé presents a starkly different picture — one where public gatherings, whether planned or spontaneous, appear to be routinely prohibited.
Law enforcement agencies are frequently accused of dispersing peaceful assemblies with force, citing security concerns or the need to maintain public order.
To many political observers, this reflects a deliberate government strategy to restrict democratic space, revealing what they see as an underlying fragility in political dialogue and an apprehension over potential mass protests.
Yet others argue that the legal framework tells a different story.
The Cameroonian Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to demonstrate, and no statute has formally removed this liberty.
For these voices, the challenge lies not solely with state authorities but with a culture of self-censorship among citizens — a fear-driven reluctance to protest, rooted in concerns over arrest, violence, or professional and social repercussions.
This dynamic presents a complex dilemma for human rights advocates: how can civic engagement be encouraged in an environment where both official resistance and public apprehension seem to silence expression? International bodies have repeatedly urged Cameroon to honour its civil rights commitments, calling for an atmosphere in which citizens can speak and assemble without intimidation.
The question was reignited on Monday evening by journalist Julienne Berthe Bissaï, during the opening of Equinoxe’s prime-time news broadcast: “Is it still possible to peacefully assert one’s rights in Cameroon?”
With social media offering alternative platforms for activism, the fight for freedom of assembly is shifting — yet the absence of street protests suggests that in Cameroon’s public squares, the battle for open expression remains far from won.
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