Former Cameroonian presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary says he's filed two complaints with the Paris Judicial Court against President Paul Biya, citing the principle of universal jurisdiction.
The former minister, now living in exile in The Gambia, said on Friday that the complaints relate to the crackdown on protests following the 12 October 2025 presidential election.
He also claimed that several thousand Cameroonians remain detained in prisons across the country in conditions he described as "illegal" and contrary to fundamental rights.
The complaints target President Biya and around 20 senior officials, including the secretary-general of the presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, ministers and senior figures from the army, gendarmerie and police.
At least 23 people were killed in Cameroon in the crackdown by security forces in the wake of the contested elections, according to civil society group known as "Stand up for Cameroon".
Tchiroma, 78, said he had turned to the French court because of what he described as continuing obstruction in Cameroon.
Legal action
"The Paris Judicial Court benefits from universal jurisdiction without requiring the crime to have a territorial link with that state," said Calvin Job, a lawyer registered with the Cameroon and Paris bars. "Now, whether it succeeds or not, this type of case often takes time."
Tchiroma said he had ordered a detailed investigation immediately after 12 October last year to gather information, collect testimony and evidence and establish the chain of responsibility from those who gave orders to those who carried them out.
Grégoire Owona, a minister and senior member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC), dismissed the move.
"Tchiroma has a need for attention that explains what he is doing. The RDPC is working on preparations for the next elections. We are far too busy to talk about Tchiroma," Owona told RFI.
Tchiroma's lawyers said the case before the Paris Judicial Court is only a first step and could later be extended to other international mechanisms dealing with human rights and arbitrary detention.
