In a town in eastern Cameroon, a young gay man survived a brutal attack, but instead of being protected, he is now in custody.
In Bertoua, a town in eastern Cameroon, a young man was violently attacked with a razor blade simply because he was perceived to be gay. Injured and publicly humiliated, he should have been protected.
But today, he is being held in custody.
His real name has not been made public, as revealing it would put him at serious risk. He is known by the community identifier GBKG1289.
What is happening to him is profoundly unjust. A victim of an attack should be able to rely on the protection of the law – not be treated as a suspect.
This situation calls into question fundamental rights: the right to safety, the right to equal protection under the law, and the right to fair treatment.
In Cameroon, violence against LGBT+ people is not an isolated occurrence. But when the victim themselves ends up in detention, it sends a worrying message: that some people are not protected in the same way as others.
This undermines trust in the justice system and exposes more people to fear, violence and silence.
Yet, the Cameroonian Constitution and Cameroon’s international commitments are clear. Every person has the right to dignity, safety, equality before the law and a fair trial.
These rights must apply to everyone, without exception.
We call on the relevant authorities to guarantee the victim’s safety, to launch an independent investigation into the attack, and to prosecute those responsible for the violence.
Signing this petition means calling for the law to protect everyone equally.
It means standing up for the principle that no victim should be deprived of their liberty after suffering an assault.
Sign now to demand justice, protection and respect for fundamental rights.
