Maximilienne Ngo Mbe
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2018-007-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2018
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 7.36972199999999
Longitude: 12.354722
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Cameroon
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- Dates of prior UN action
- 26 octobre 2017
- Type of record
- Named individual
- Gender
- Female
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
Executive Director of a coalition of Central Africa Human Rights Defenders – Network; in relation to her efforts to bring attention to human rights violations committed in the English-speaking areas of southwest and northwest Cameroon
- Type of rights defended
- Unclear in SG Report
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
participation in the review of Cameroon by the Human Rights Committee (CMR 5/2017)
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Treaty Bodies: HRC
- Dates of engagement
- October 2017
- Type of attempted engagement
- Participation in meeting on UN premises
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- Octobre 2017
- Reprisal information
physical attacks, acts of intimidation and harassment
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Government response dates
- 11 July 2018
- Government response content
On 11 July 2018, the Government responded to the special procedures’ communication of 26 October 2017, stating that the complainants should provide detailed evidence justifying the allegations, in order to allow and facilitate action by Cameroon. The Government emphasized that Cameroon is a state of law and not a police state, with regard to measures aimed at ensuring the full enjoyment of their freedom of association, including protective measures against any form of reprisal for their cooperation with the human rights mechanisms. According to the Minister of External Relations neither the gendarmerie nor by the police have ever been questioned Ms. Ngo Mbe and Ms. Nkom in relation to their human rights activities or their cooperation with human rights mechanisms. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is a priority of Cameroon to ensure the protection of all persons and all individuals living on its national territory in accordance with the principle of equality of before the law, therefore it is the Government’s view that neither Ms. Ngo Mbe and Ms. Nkom can benefit from sui generis protection.
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 2
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
- 2020
- Follow up information provided in SG report 0
The case of Ms. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, of the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (REDHAC), was included in the 2019 (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, paras. 15–16) and 2018 (A/HRC/39/41, para. 31, Annex I, paras. 7–8) reports of the Secretary- General on allegations of threats, attacks, and surveillance following her cooperation with the Human Rights Committee. 4 On 15 April 2020 and 28 April 2020, special procedures mandate holders renewed their concerns about the ongoing intimidation, threats and attacks against Ms. Ngo Mbe and REDHAC (CMR 1/2020). 5 12. On 26 January 2020, the headquarters of REDHAC in Douala were the target of a suspected arson attack causing serious damage to the building and archives of the organization. On 9 March 2020, a high-ranking Government official during a press conference accused REDHAC, other NGOs and media outlets of accepting money to produce false reports to destabilize the country.
- Followup Trends 0
- Deterioration/further reprisals
- Did the government respond? 0
- No
- Was this case followed up by a UN body? 0
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
- 2019
- Follow up information provided in SG report 1
The cases of Ms. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe and Ms. Alice Nkom of Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (REDHAC) were included in the 2018 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/39/41, para. 31, and Annex I, paras. 7–8). They suffered physical attacks, intimidation and harassment reportedly in connection to their cooperation with the Human Rights Committee during the review of Cameroon in October 2017. On 26 October 2017, five special procedures mandate holders addressed their situation (CMR 5/2017), and on 11 July 2018 (A/HRC/39/41, Annex I, para. 8) and 17 July 2018 the Government responded affirming that Ms. Ngo Mbe and Ms. Nkom have never been persecuted for their human rights work or cooperation with the UN and requested further detail about the allegations. 113 16. According to new information received, between October and December 2018, Ms. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe has been closely monitored and surveilled by plain clothed officers of the intelligence services and unmarked cars outside the REDHAC offices. When traveling, Ms. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe is routinely subjected to additional questioning and anonymous phone calls welcoming her back into the country. Since November 2017, she has received harassing text messages calling her a liar, including reportedly from the Vice- President of the National Commission on Human Rights and Liberties.
- Followup Trends 1
- Deterioration/further reprisals
- Did the government respond? 1
- No