SDF denounces journalists' incarceration, calls it "witch hunt"

The party of John Fru Ndi,SDF suspects that the powers of the state are only trying to destroy the Cameroonian press.

The SDF Chairman reacted to the indictment of three Cameroonian journalists pronounced on October 28 in Yaounde by the military court.

"The SDF condemns in the strongest terms the draconian measures just taken by the Yaounde Military Tribunal against the three journalists for what in no doubt is a severe and intolerable affront to freedom of expression which is guaranteed and protected by the Constitution of the Republic," reads part of a press release dated October 30, 2014 by the head of the "shadow cabinet" in charge of information and media, Jean Robert Wafo.

The SDF councilor of the municipality of Douala II states that "the protection of the source of information is recognized and guaranteed to journalists and officers of the journalistic profession. He argues that "Article 107 of the Penal Code alleged by the judges of the Military Court is a general provision which does not derogate from a special law including Law No. 90/52 of 19 December 1990 cited high."

The SDF believes that the journalists charged with "failure to report" are victims of a "witch hunt" that would ultimately destroy Cameroon press. This is why it "demands the immediate pure and simple lifting of various sanctions against the three journalists." As he adds, "let alone citizen journalists cannot turn into informants or intelligence agents."

John Robert Wafo even offers the legislature to revisit sections 74 and 107 of the Penal Code.