The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
“Ahead of the presidential election in October, growing restrictions on civic and democratic space in Cameroon are raising serious concerns about whether voters can freely express their will,” Laurence said.
“We are today calling on the Government of Cameroon to ensure an environment conducive to a free, transparent, inclusive and genuine vote. Equal access to participation in electoral processes for all Cameroonians is absolutely essential,” he said.
“Several gatherings have been banned amid rising restrictions on the activities of opposition political parties in the lead up to the election. There have also been concerns about the exclusion of some political figures from the race and irregularities in voter registration.
Recently, a live television interview with a political figure was interrupted by security forces,” Laurence said.
“These developments come following the suspension of three civil society organisations and the banning of two others in December last year and restrictions that were imposed on the operations and funding of some civil society groups,” the spokesperson said.
High Commissioner Volker Türk urges the Cameroonian authorities to promptly address any measures that could disenfranchise sections of Cameroonian society, and to take meaningful steps to address rising hate speech, disinformation, and incitement to violence, both online and offline, in line with international human rights law.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva:
Ravina Shamdasani: + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence: + 41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Marta Hurtado: + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
Thameen Al-Kheetan: + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org
In Nairobi:
Seif Magango: + 254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon presidential election process
TRT: 02:18
SOURCE: OHCHR/ UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 02 September 2025 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- Wide shots: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Ahead of the presidential election in October, growing restrictions on civic and democratic space in Cameroon are raising serious concerns about whether voters can freely express their will.”
- Cutaways: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are today calling on the Government of Cameroon to ensure an environment conducive to a free, transparent, inclusive and genuine vote. Equal access to participation in electoral processes for all Cameroonians is absolutely essential.”
- Cutaways: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Several gatherings have been banned amid rising restrictions on the activities of opposition political parties in the lead up to the election. There have also been concerns about the exclusion of some political figures from the race and irregularities in voter registration. Recently, a live television interview with a political figure was interrupted by security forces.”
- Cutaways: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “These developments come following the suspension of three civil society organisations and the banning of two others in December last year, and restrictions that were imposed on the operations and funding of some civil society groups.”
- Cutaways: Briefing room
Similar Stories
2
1
2
Edited News , B-roll | UN WOMEN
Women and girls still reeling from Afghanistan's recent deadly earthquake face even greater suffering rebuilding their lives and livelihoods without much more help from the international community, UN Women said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Rising civilian casualties, growing ethnic violence and the grim humanitarian situation in Sudan underscore how the crisis there is deepening, according to a UN Human rights report published today.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS
United Nations agencies staff demonstrates on Place des Nations in Geneva to denounce the killing of their colleagues in Gaza.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
The world’s water resources face growing pressure from climate change while emergencies related to the vital resource are increasingly impacting lives and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council during a meeting on the Israeli strike on negotiators in Qatar on Tuesday. “Israel’s strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza: Thirsty and starving, war-battered families face ‘inhumane’ evacuation
As bombs continue to fall on Gaza City as part of the intensifying Israeli military operation, families with starving children are being pushed southwards from one “hellscape” to another, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
New UN Human Rights report finds 10 years of increased suffering repression and fear
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday published a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNICEF , UNHCR
The ongoing humanitarian response to the devastating Afghanistan earthquake disaster continued on Friday, although essential services have been cut for operational reasons following reinforced Taliban restrictions on women working with the UN, the global body said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu.,
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO
Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.