A Pan-African Roots Blog
2026-04-22
Free Djeukam Tchameni, and
All Cameroonian Political Prisoners, NOW!
Greetings:
We hope this email finds you in the best of health and spirits. Permit us to introduce you to Djeukam Tchameni, one of the more than 2,782 political prisoners in Cameroon, and to the International Committee for the Liberation of Djeukam Tchameni. We request that you support him and all of the political prisoners in any and every way you can.
Some Information
Djeukam was born on 1 March 1961 in Cameroon. He was an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Yaoundé from 1978 to 1982. He was a member of independent student associations forced to operate underground and was involved in student-led protests in 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1982.
Upon graduation, Djeukam came to the United States. Between 1982 and 1985, he joined the A-APRP and worked with Kwame Ture, Mawina Kouyate, Banbose Shango, and other Members, especially in the Texas chapter. Kwame introduced him to me. He also worked with the NAACP, Nation of Islam, the National Black United Front, and several student groups.
In 1985, he went home to Cameroon, co-founded and/or became involved in several organizations that struggled for democracy, civil and human rights, including: CAP Liberte; ABC Democracy, the Movement for Democracy and Interdependence; the National Network of Civil Society Organizations; and the Citizen Consultation Platform.
In 2025, Djeukam co-founded, with Anicet Ekane, the Union for Change (UPC), the largest pro-democracy movement in Cameroon in decades. The UPC supported Issa Tchiroma Bakary in the 12 October 2025 Presidential election. “Citizen tallies and observer reports indicate that UPC won a clear victory.” Official results later contradicted these findings. Mass protests erupted across the Cameroons.
On 24 October 2025, Anciet and Djeukam were kidnapped from their homes by the military and detained. Anicet died while in custody in December 2025. His family and lawyers are demanding an investigation. Djeukam has spent more than 190 days under illegal, inhumane, and arbitrary detention. He faces prosecution by a military court for peaceful political expression. His arrest and arbitrary detention are violations of Cameroonian law, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter.
According to the Committee to Liberate Djeukam, the main legal issues that he faces include:
· “Military courts have no jurisdiction over civilians.” (CJM, Articles 2 & 8).
· “His illegal detention is beyond the maximum lawful period.” (CJM, Article 11).
· “The refusal to give him access to legal counsel and the repeated psychological pressure he faces violates his fair trial guarantees.”
· “The charges he faces are unsupported by the material evidence.”
Two Appeals
On 13 April 2026, the Women and Mothers Collective of Political Prisoners (COFEM), led by Alice Nkom, Henriette Ekwe, and Makini Tchameni, Djeukam’s wife, submitted a Memorandum to Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala. It was addressed to Pope Leo XIV on the eve of his historic visit to Africa and Cameroon.
This Memo “denounced the continued detention of political prisoners, including Djeukam, during this post-election 2025 crisis, as well as the continued detention of others who were arrested in connection with the earlier crisis in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroons.” The Memo also “argued that the Pope’s global moral authority could help amplify calls for justice and ease tensions.” It appealed for Papal help!
Independently, and yet simultaneously, Pan-African Roots and I appeal to you, and to all justice-loving, and democracy-loving people in the 6 Regions of Africa and its Diaspora, and in the World, to help free Djeukam Tchameni, and all Cameroonian political prisoners. We also call for a full investigation of all deaths and torture in detention.
Sincerely,
Bob Brown
Blogger, Another Note from the Barricades / A Pan-African Roots Blog
Organizer, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (GC)
Please contact: The International Committee for the Liberation of Djeukam Tchameni at cil.djeukan@gmail.com and see https://freedjeukamtchameni.com/take-action.