Kumba 03/12/2019: Following an alert from Mr Theophile NONO, close to human rights defender Franklin MOWHA, the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC) informed the national and international community of the disappearance of Mr.MOWHA Franklin, a human rights defender, member of REDHAC, since 06/08/2018.

Recall of facts:

Resident in Bamenda, chief town of the Northwest region, MOWHA Franklin went to Kumba, in the South West on August 02, 2018, for professional reasons, according to our sources. In this most cosmopolitan city of the region, MOWHA Franklin would have stayed at Motel Azim located at Buea Road where he was staying for the last time.

His mission was:
- meet with internally displaced persons;
- Take pictures of the destroyed houses and the disaster;
- List the persons arrested and detained arbitrarily in order to obtain their release.

In the meantime, his secretary, Mr. Thaddeus NGWA, would have kept in touch with him until 06 August 2018. On several occasions, all attempts to reach him remained unsuccessful
until 14 August when his phone stopped ringing. Since then, anxiety has grown within his family and other loved ones.

On August 21, 2018, his secretary, Mr. Thaddeus NGWA, left Bamenda for Kumba to find out what would have happened to MOWHA Franklin.

On August 22, 2018 in Buea, no trace of Mr. MOWHA Franklin to the regional delegation of the National Security for the South-West where he met the officials of this structure, still less with those of the General Staff of the gendarmerie South West.

At the Central Prison of Buea, Mr Thaddeus NGWA is denied access without the authorization of the Public Prosecutor. this one will be delivered to him for the next day,
August 23, 2018.

At the end of his sentences in search of Mr. MOWHA Franklin, Mr. Thaddeus NGWA resolved on September 5, 2018 to file a complaint to the prosecution of the Court of First
Instance of Kumba to declare the disappearance of Mr. MOWHA Franklin, President Frontline Fighters For Citizen Interests (FFCI).

FROM ALL THE ABOVE,
The Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC) once again:
- Draws the attention of the Cameroonian authorities to the umpteenth case of disappearance in this case that of human rights defender Mr Franklin MOWHA in south-west Cameroon;
- Denounces the silence and laxity of the Cameroonian authorities in face of this disappearance, which has been prolonged for almost seven months;
- Firmly denounces all methods of intimidation, harassment and abduction of human rights defenders in Cameroon;
- Strongly condemns massive human rights violations against human rights defenders, activists and people in English-speaking areas of the country.

THAT IS WHY,
The Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC): Demands Cameroonian authorities:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Franklin MOWHA, President of Frontline Fighters for Citizen Interests (FFCI) held by any group;
- Take all necessary and urgent steps to find human rights defender Franklin MOWHA;
- Arrange an investigation so that the culprits answer for their actions before a fair, just and independent justice;
- To ensure the physical and psychological safety of Franklin MOWHA, his family members and all his relatives;

AS WELL, REDHAC calls on the Cameroonian government to respect:
- The UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS in its articles Article 5: "No one shall be subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment";
Article 9: "can not be arbitrarily arrested, detained or exiled";
- The INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS in its articles: Article 6 al.1: "The right to life is inherent to the human person. This right must be protected
by law. No one can be arbitrarily deprived of life. "; Article 7: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment ...» Article 9 al.1: "Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one may be arrested or arbitrarily detained. No one can be deprived of his freedom ...»
- The AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS, in its articles:
Article 4: "The human person is inviolable. Every human being has the right to his life and his morals and his person ...” Article 5: "Everyone has the right to the inherent dignity of the human person .... Trafficking in persons, physical or mental torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment are prohibited. "; Article 6: "Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person ... no one may be arrested or detained arbitrarily.