GCI's Prisoners' Rights Talk-shops makes a successful return
Global Conscience Initiative re-launched its popular Prisoners' Rights talk-shops on February 27. There was a lively debate on the topic of Administrative Detention.
The talk-shop, hosted in the GCI Secretariat, was facilitated by GCI's international interns. Laura Bartkowiak and Sigal Liberman, who work on the Prisoners' Rights Project, were excited to discuss this important issue with the Kumba community. The event was attended by fifteen journalists, lawyers, members of the public and police officers. GCI was pleased with the attendance and hopes that even more people will become involved as the programme continues.
Administrative detention was described by participants as pre-emptive detention without charge, trial, involvement of the courts, or access to legal counsel. It is performed by government administrators or administration authorities, such as the DO, SDO, Governor, or Minister of Territorial Administration. The Criminal Procedure Code gives administrators the power to detain individuals either in a State of Emergency or to maintain Law and Order. If a person wishes to challenge an order of administrative detention, they may appeal under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Administrative detention is permitted under Cameroonian law, but contravenes international law, including treaties signed by Cameroon , such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. As the Cameroonian Constitution gives precedence to international law over national laws, the laws permitting administrative detention contradict not only Cameroon's commitments under international law, but also the Constitution of Cameroon itself. Talk-shop participants and Global Conscience Initiative are interested in working with the government to resolve this contradiction.
Administrative detention violates the human rights to liberty, a fair trial, and freedom from arbitrary detention. It is therefore a serious human rights concern, which is shared by Global Conscience Initiative and many members of civil society. This and future talk-shops will find a way to address this human rights abuse. The support of the public is highly welcome in this venture.
Commenting on the first in the new series of GCI talk-shops, GCI facilitator Sigal Liberman from the Netherlands said: “The first step in combating administrative detention is to raise awareness of this practice and the human rights abuses it entails. We have made a promising start on this, and we expect future talk-shops to empower even more people with this knowledge.”
GCI will host the next talk-shop to further explore the issue of administrative detention in the GCI Secretariat on Friday March 13 at 3pm prompt until 5pm. Everyone is welcome to attend the discussion and the presentation of papers and contribution of ideas by all is encouraged.
