Amnesty International demands release of 36 opposition supporters in Cameroon

Amnesty International has demanded the immediate release of 36 supporters of the opposition Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), who have been detained for five years for participating in peaceful protests against President Paul Biya.

On September 22, the organization denounced what it describes as the arbitrary detention of these individuals, who were imprisoned for expressing their political views.

The MRC supporters received sentences ranging from one to seven years in 2019, under charges of "rebellion" and "attempted insurrection."

This situation has escalated recently, with heightened repression during the ongoing presidential campaign. In August, 54 MRC supporters were arrested in Yaoundé after the rejection of their candidate, Maurice Kamto's, application to run in the elections. Although they were later released on bail, these arrests highlight a growing restriction on civic space in the country.

The UN Human Rights High Commissioner has already raised concerns about the ability of voters to express their will freely.

With the presidential campaign set to begin soon, President Paul Biya, 92, who has been in power for nearly 43 years, is once again seeking another term alongside 11 challengers, including opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

Biya has spent nearly half of his life as president and is Africa's second-longest-serving leader, behind only Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. If he wins an eighth seven-year term in the October 12 vote, he could govern until he's nearly 100.

During his decades in power, the Central African nation, with a population of nearly 30 million, has struggled with challenges ranging from a deadly secessionist movement to chronic corruption that has stifled development, despite its rich natural resources, including oil and minerals.

At least 43% of the country's citizens live in poverty, as measured by core living standards, including income, education, and health, according to UN estimates.