Michel Thierry Atangana is a French citizen of Cameroonian origin who was imprisoned in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 1997 until 2014. International human rights organisations declared him a political prisoner, held for support of potential presidential candidate Titus Edzoa.[1][2][3][4] Atagana was released in 2014 by presidential decree.[5]
Arrest edit
Michel Atangana returned to Cameroon in 1994 to head Copisur, a government body overseeing road construction projects. He worked closely with Titus Edzoa, who announced in April 1997 that he would run against the incumbent Paul Biya for the post of the president of Cameroon in the election scheduled for that October. On 12 May 1997, Atangana was arrested and detained for 52 days without trial. The Cameroonian government eventually alleged embezzlement of public funds and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.[6] Edzoa was arrested in October of the same year, imprisoned and also charged with embezzlement.[7]
Detention edit
Atangana spent 17 years in a cell below the Yaoundé gendarmerie. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Freedom House condemned his imprisonment. In 2005, the U.S. Department of State declared him a political prisoner. In 2013, Amnesty International considered him a prisoner of conscience.[8] In 2013, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention published their report concluding that his arrest and detention were arbitrary and that he should be released immediately.[9]
Release edit
In February 2014, President Paul Biya issued a decree, releasing Atangana from imprisonment,[10] but not reversing his court conviction[11] or returning his confiscated property.[12][13][14][15][16]
References edit
- ^ "Focus - The case of Michel Thierry Atangana". France 24. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Michel Atangana toujours en quête de réparation après 17 ans en prison au Cameroun". VOA. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ La-Croix.com. "Au Cameroun, Michel Thierry Atangana sur le point d'être libéré". La Croix. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "CAMEROUN - offensire Michel Thiere Atangana continue d'attaquer le régime d'Etoudi". camer.be (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "President "pardons" Michel Atangana". Economist Intelligence Unit. The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Cameroun: le Français Michel Atangana enfin libre, après 17 ans de prison". lexpress.fr. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ Ngo Mayag, Monique (28 March 2018). "Does the building in Nsimeyong belong to Titus Edzoa?". Stop BlaBla Cam. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Cameroun: Selon Amnesty International, Michel Atangana prisonnier d'opinion". cameroon-info.net (in French). Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Opinion 2013/38 Cameroon" (PDF). UN General Assembly. United Nations. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "Michel Atangana est "extrêmement usé" après 17 ans de prison au Cameroun". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Français emprisonné 17 ans au Cameroun - Michel Thierry Atangana, le citoyen oublié". www.parismatch.com. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "La France m'a abandonné aux mains du pouvoir camerounais pendant quinze longues années". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Sénégal - Appel de Dakar: Michel-Thierry Atangana et des ONG contre les détentions arbitraires - 07/03/2015 - CAMERPOST". CAMERPOST (in French). Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Michel Thierry Atangana : "Je dois être réhabilité pour reprendre le cours de ma vie"". jeuneafrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Michel Thierry Atangana : "J'ai été victime d'un oubli inqualifiable de la France" - JeuneAfrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ^ "Michel Thierry Atangana : 2 ans après ma libération, la France comme le Cameroun restent sourds face aux demandes de l'ONU". camerpost.com (in French). Retrieved 2016-03-16.