The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) condemns the death in detention of Cameroonian journalist, Samuel Wazizi and the ongoing attacks on journalists in the USA and UK.
In the US the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has noted over 300 media freedom violations since 26 May 2020 where reporters and camera operators have been punched or hit or their equipment damaged as they covered the protests against the murder of George Floyd.
In terms of Cameroon, SANEF joins The African Editors Forum (TAEF) and CPJ in expressing dismay as regards the fact that the Cameroonian Defence Force, in whose hands Wazizi died, kept his death a secret and did not inform his family.
SANEF calls on the President of Cameroon Paul Biya as well as the African Union to launch an independent investigation into the death of Wazizi and the subsequent cover-up by the army.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media.
