"Veteran opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in military custody in Cameroon, his family and legal representatives have said. Ekane, 74, passed away on Monday morning in Yaounde, the country's capital, 38 days after security forces detained him in the port city of Douala, France's public radio RFI reported. His death has sparked widespread outrage and threatens to deepen the political turmoil gripping Cameroon following October's disputed presidential election, which saw 92-year-old Paul Biya claim another term after more than four decades in power."
"Authorities charged Ekane with insurrection and rebellion, allegations his party characterised as politically motivated. His eldest son, Muna Ekane, told the Associated Press news agency that his father's condition deteriorated sharply over the last week, with severe respiratory distress leaving him struggling to breathe. For one week, he had difficulties breathing; he was suffocating, he said, adding that the family repeatedly alerted officials, but nothing was done."
Anicet Ekane, 74, died in military custody in Yaounde 38 days after being detained in Douala. The detention followed his support for opposition rival Issa Tchiroma Bakary during a disputed presidential election that returned Paul Biya to power. Authorities charged Ekane with insurrection and rebellion, charges his party called politically motivated. His condition reportedly deteriorated with severe respiratory distress and breathing difficulties over the last week of detention, and family alerts to officials went unanswered. Ekane's party demanded transfer to a civilian hospital and warned it would hold the government accountable. The government stated military doctors and personal physicians provided care and that an investigation was launched.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]