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
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today told the bi-weekly UN press briefing in Geneva of more details that are emerging on the atrocities committed in El Fasher, in Sudan during and after its takeover by the Rapid Support Forces.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following comment on Friday at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani made the following comment on Friday at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO
Sudan: UN Raises Alarm Over Mass Atrocities in El Fasher as Survivors Report Executions, Killings and Rapes
More details continue to emerge about atrocities committed during and after the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan on 23 October. Since the powerful paramilitary group made a major incursion into the city last week, the UN Human Rights Office has received “horrendous accounts of summary executions, mass killings, rapes, attacks against humanitarian workers, looting, abductions and forced displacement,” said Seif Magango, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Ukraine: Russian attacks on energy terrorize population as winter starts; could trigger major ‘crisis within crisis’
The UN’s top aid official in Ukraine expressed concern on Friday about “continuous attacks” on energy production sites and distribution facilities.
1
1
1
Edited News | HRC
Navi Pillay Retires After Decades Defending Human Rights and Pursuing Justice
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The telecommunications shutdowns in Afghanistan in September had serious and far-reaching impacts on people’s lives, according to a briefing paper published today by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence at the UN Geneva press briefing made the following comment on the ASEAN declaration on the right to a healthy environment.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , OCHA , WMO
‘Catastrophic’ Hurricane Melissa hours from landfall in Jamaica as humanitarians rush to save lives
Millions in Jamaica and across the Caribbean are bracing for massive impact from Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the UN and partners are warning of a “severe” and “immediate” humanitarian threat.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘We need all routes to open’: in Gaza WHO calls for ramp-up of medevacs, easier access for essentials
Two weeks since a ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza the World Health Organization (WHO) noted progress on the flow of aid while calling for more evacuations of critical patients and eased entry for essential medicines and supplies.
1
12
1
1
Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS
UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science
No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.