Nfor Hanson Nchanji

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2020-024-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2020
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 7.36972199999999

Longitude: 12.354722

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Cameroon
From Region
Type of record
Named individual
Gender
Male
Was the victim a foreign national?
No
Was the victim a minor?
No
Individual's/organization's activity

human rights journalist investigating and reporting on the Anglophone crisis and at the time of the Forum the Editor-In-Chief of the Douala-based Equinoxe Television and founder of the on-line Cameroon News Agency, is currently in exile.

Type of rights defended
  • Unclear in SG Report
Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Reported trigger of reprisal

following his participation in the 10th session of the Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva from 30 November to 1 December 2017.

Engagement with UN body
  • UN Human Rights Council: Minorities forum
Dates of engagement
from 30 November to 1 December 2017
Type of attempted engagement
  • Participation in meeting on UN premises
Dates of mentioned reprisals
2 December 2017; March 2019
Reprisal information

Harassment and vilification of Mr. Hanson Nchanji reportedly began in December 2017 and continued into the reporting period, including online attacks by some pro-government social media users portraying him as a terrorist. One post called him “a traitor to the republic of Cameroon” and stated: “You went to the UN to sell us but God punished you.” On 2 December 2017, when Mr. Hanson Nchanji returned to Cameroon after the Forum, a close relative had reportedly received a letter with death threats. In March 2019, Mr. Hanson Nchanji’s family home was allegedly burned down by soldiers and his close relatives relocated. The incidents were reported to OHCHR at the time but could not be publicly reported due to protection concerns.

Types of reprisals suffered
  • Defamation / Defamation campaign
  • Family/friends/acquaintances targeted
  • Online harassment
  • Property damage/raid/search/confiscation
  • 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
Further case development

is currently in exile

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?
0