from ROSY SADOU in Yaounde, Cameroon
Cameroon Bureau
YAOUNDE, (CAJ News) – THE United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has expressed concern at the death of civilians after elections in Cameroon.
The announcement of incumbent, Paul Biya, has triggered protests in the Central African country.
Polls were held on October 12.
An unspecified number of people have been killed.
UNHRC said it was “deeply concerned” with the deaths following clashes between opposition supporters and state security.
“We call on the security forces to refrain from using lethal force, and on protesters to express their discontent peacefully,” it stated.
The UN agency said authorities must fully respect their obligations under international human rights law, and political leaders and their supporters must refrain from all violence and hate speech.
It urged authorities to conduct swift, impartial, and effective investigations into all cases of election-related violence, including the excessive or disproportionate use of force, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The right to a fair trial and due process for anyone arrested must also be guaranteed.”
Biya (92) has been president since 1982.
– CAJ News