Video of singer’s alleged torture sparks Cameroon outrage

In a recent interview, popular Cameroonian singer Simon Longkana Agno, known as Longue Longue, spoke out about the traumatic experience he faced following his arrest in 2019. He revealed that a shocking video of him being tortured has sparked outrage across Cameroon. “This is the first time the public is seeing this footage,” Longue Longue noted, explaining that he received the video from an unknown source in the United States.

The Cameroonian government has responded to the situation by opening an investigation into what they are calling an “unfortunate incident.” Detailed in the video, Longue Longue is seen with his hands cuffed, sitting on the floor in his underwear, while security agents beat the soles of his feet with a flat machete, despite his desperate pleas for mercy. While the authenticity of the video remains unverified by the BBC, it amplifies concerns regarding human rights violations in the country.

On his Facebook page, the artist expressed that he was arrested for his “freedom of thought” and has intentions to file legal complaints in both Cameroon and France, where he currently resides. “It’s been three months since I left Cameroon; I didn’t feel safe there anymore,” he shared. “I don’t want to be in the country for the upcoming presidential election next year.”

Despite feeling more secure in France, he remains troubled about the safety of his family in Cameroon. “I received threats after announcing I would publish the video,” he recounted, adding that he was warned that if the footage became public, retribution would be taken against his family.

Longue Longue’s arrest stemmed from a video he posted in which he alleged that President Paul Biya rigged the 2018 election. He asserted that the rightful winner was opposition leader Maurice Kamto. Following those events, the Constitutional Council dismissed Kamto’s request for a re-run of the election due to claims of electoral fraud.

Maurice Kamto has since condemned the apparent torture, demanding an investigation into the incident. “The CRM strongly condemns this state barbarity and calls for an urgent inquiry to bring those responsible for these inhumane acts to justice,” he stated. The conditions of Longue Longue’s treatment have drawn sharp criticism from prominent human rights figures, with Akere Muna, a well-known human rights lawyer, reflecting on how his case highlights the extreme depravity humanity can reach.

As the political landscape grows increasingly tense leading up to the presidential election, rights groups have expressed their concerns regarding the climate of impunity and repression faced by dissenters in Cameroon. Longue Longue’s plight raises critical questions about freedom of expression and the treatment of opposition voices in the country.

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