Statement of AFIC, Citizens Governance Initiative, Afro Leadership and ADISI Cameroon at the 66th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights

The preamble of the national constitution of Cameroon guarantees the right to freedom of expression and access to information.

However, despite the country’s commitment to several international and regional instruments on the right to freedom of expression and access to information, Cameroon has no specific access to information legislation. Article 1 of the Charter obliges state parties to adopt legislative or other measures to give effect to the rights, duties, and freedoms enshrined in the Charter.

Cameroon remains on the list of low-ranking countries in terms of freedom of expression in the world. It currently ranks 134/180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders 2020 Press Freedom Index, falling three places from the previous year.