Cameroonian Diaspora: Urges Probe of Violences Post-Électorales au Cameroun

• The Cameroonian Diaspora for Change submitted a memorandum to the Paris Public Prosecutor on August 5, 2026, seeking follow-up on criminal complaints.
• The memorandum calls for an investigation into post-electoral violence in Cameroon, including alleged deaths, disappearances, injuries, and arbitrary arrests.
• It highlights the disputed October 12, 2025 presidential election, where Issa Tchiroma Bakary, officially second, is referred to as 'President elected' by the diaspora.
• Issa Tchiroma Bakary, exiled in Gambia, has filed complaints in France and Switzerland against President Paul Biya, regime figures, and security forces for alleged repression.
• The diaspora's initiative aims to encourage truth, justice, and national reconciliation in Cameroon, urging French authorities to pay close attention to the evidence.

The memorandum specifically requests that French authorities monitor existing criminal complaints previously lodged in France by Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

On August 5, 2026, a group identifying itself as the Cameroonian Diaspora for Change submitted a formal memorandum to the Public Prosecutor at the Paris Judicial Court. The document, signed by Robert Waffo Wanto, specifically requests that French authorities monitor existing criminal complaints previously lodged in France by Issa Tchiroma Bakary. Furthermore, the diaspora organization urged the prosecutor to initiate a thorough investigation into the events that transpired in Cameroon following the presidential election.

The memorandum was officially received by the Paris prosecutor's mail service on August 6, 2026, marking a formal step in the diaspora's efforts to draw international attention to the situation. The core objective, as articulated by the signatory organizations, is to foster truth, justice, and national reconciliation within Cameroon. They have specifically called upon French authorities to dedicate particular attention to the complaints already filed and to any supporting evidence provided to them.

The backdrop to this legal appeal is the highly disputed presidential election held in Cameroon on October 12, 2025. While official results placed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in second position, the Cameroonian Diaspora for Change's memorandum refers to him as the “President elected,” indicating their rejection of the declared outcome. This organization asserts that a significant portion of the Cameroonian populace contests the official election results.

Following the election, the diaspora group has reported severe post-electoral violence in Cameroon. Their memorandum details numerous grave incidents, including fatalities, disappearances, injuries, and arrests, which they characterize as arbitrary. They are specifically seeking judicial examination of these denounced facts and demanding that the situation of individuals detained for what they consider political reasons be addressed.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who officially placed second in the October 2025 presidential election and disputes its results, has since gone into exile in Gambia. From his exile, he has initiated legal proceedings in both France and Switzerland. These complaints target President Paul Biya, several prominent figures within his regime, and members of the Cameroonian Defense and Security Forces.

The accusations leveled against these individuals and entities center on their alleged role in repressing post-electoral demonstrations. The memorandum submitted by the Cameroonian Diaspora for Change explicitly seeks the French prosecutor's attention to these ongoing judicial procedures, aiming to ensure that the complaints filed by Bakary receive due consideration and follow-up within the French legal system.

Source: Original reporting via Actu Cameroun