Cameroon’s opposition leader Anicet Ekane dies in military detention

The decease of seasoned person Ekane sparks accusations of aesculapian neglect and intensifies the country’s post-election crisis.

Veteran absorption fig Anicet Ekane has died successful subject custody successful Cameroon, his household and ineligible representatives person said.

Ekane, 74, passed distant connected Monday greeting successful Yaounde, the country’s capital, 38 days aft information forces detained him successful the larboard metropolis of Douala, France’s nationalist vigor RFI reported.

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His decease has sparked wide outrage and threatens to deepen the governmental turmoil gripping Cameroon pursuing October’s disputed statesmanlike election, which saw 92-year-old Paul Biya assertion different word aft much than 4 decades successful power.

Ekane, the person of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), a left-wing party, was seized connected October 24 aft backing Biya’s rival Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who has rejected authoritative results and insists helium won the vote.

Authorities charged Ekane with insurrection and rebellion, allegations his enactment characterised arsenic politically motivated.

His eldest son, Muna Ekane, told the Associated Press quality bureau that his father’s information deteriorated sharply implicit the past week, with terrible respiratory distress leaving him struggling to breathe.

“For 1 week, helium had difficulties breathing; helium was suffocating,” helium said, adding that the household repeatedly alerted officials, but “nothing was done.”

Ekane’s lawyer, Emmanuel Simh, said his lawsuit had been ill but was denied due treatment. “We’re inactive successful daze and sadness,” Simh said. “Ekane committed nary crime, truthful we request to cognize wherefore helium was arrested and abandoned.”

Ekane’s enactment had issued an urgent entreaty connected Sunday demanding his contiguous transportation to a civilian hospital, informing it would clasp the authorities accountable for immoderate consequences.

Cameroon’s authorities has said Ekane received attraction attraction from subject doctors moving alongside his idiosyncratic physicians, and said an probe has been launched.

Communication Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi has expressed regret implicit the death, portion President Biya ordered a probe into the circumstances.

But Ekane’s enactment has branded his decease “murder,” and the European Union delegation expressed “deep sadness” and renewed demands for the merchandise of each those arbitrarily detained since the election.

The Delegation of the European Union to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea reacts to the decease successful custody of person Anicet Georges EKANE… pic.twitter.com/0FTVroVvUc

— L'UE au Cameroun et determination la Guinée équatoriale (@UEauCameroun) December 1, 2025

Ekane dedicated astir 5 decades to governmental activism, emerging arsenic a cardinal fig successful the aboriginal 1990s propulsion for multiparty democracy.

Ekane was viewed by his supporters arsenic a governmental heir to Cameroon’s nationalist heroes, but helium witnessed the execution of independency combatant Ernest Ouandie.

He remained a passionate advocator for societal justness passim his career.

His decease comes amid ongoing contention implicit the post-election crackdown.

While the authorities claims 16 radical died successful protests pursuing Biya’s declared victory, absorption groups and quality rights organisations enactment the toll supra 55.

Tchiroma, the campaigner Ekane supported, fled to the Gambia past month.