The 2019 Cameroon prison riots drew international scrutiny to detention conditions and escalated tensions within the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.
Key Facts
- First riot date
- July 22, 2019
- Second riot date
- July 24, 2019
- Prisons involved
- Kondengui (Yaoundé) and Buea
- Prisoner transfers
- Hundreds moved to undisclosed locations
- Post-riot treatment
- Torture, trials without lawyers reported
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Kondengui prison riot began as a protest against poor prison conditions and what inmates considered unjust detainment, reflecting broader grievances tied to the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon, in which Anglophone activists and separatists faced prolonged detention under contentious circumstances.
On July 22 and 24, 2019, riots broke out at Kondengui prison and Buea prison respectively, with the Buea riot occurring in solidarity with the first. Security forces violently suppressed both uprisings, and hundreds of prisoners were subsequently transported to undisclosed locations.
The riots attracted international attention to Cameroonian prison conditions and deepened political tensions surrounding the Anglophone Crisis. Many suspected participants were reportedly tortured and brought before courts without legal representation, raising serious human rights concerns about the government's response.
Political Outcome
Both riots were violently suppressed by security forces; hundreds of prisoners transferred to undisclosed locations and many subsequently tried without legal counsel.