Union says intimidation of reporters weakens justice, public trust and national stability.
The Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union, CJTU, has raised the alarm over what it describes as an increasingly hostile environment for media practitioners, following the summons of journalist Adolarc Lamissia, Head of Agency of the daily newspaper Le Jour in the Adamawa Region.
In a statement issued on 15 December 2025, the National Executive Bureau of CJTU said the action against Lamissia reflects a troubling pattern of intimidation that has persisted since the post electoral crisis, marked by threats, assaults and violence against journalists.
Lamissia was summoned to the Brigade of Investigations at the Gendarmerie Legion on Tuesday 9 December 2025, following a front page story published by Le Jour on 8 December concerning truck drivers. According to CJTU, the summons was signed by Warrant Officer Nzali Arnaud Narcisse.
The union reports that the legal counsel for Lamissia appeared before investigators on his behalf, where it was stated that the journalist was being sought for alleged dissemination of false news and was expected to reveal the identity of sources among the truck drivers quoted in the report.
For CJTU, this demand strikes at the heart of press freedom. The union argues that compelling a journalist to disclose sources outside a court of law is not only professionally unacceptable but also a clear violation of Cameroon’s Law on Social Communication of December 1990. Article 50 of the law guarantees the protection of journalistic sources, allowing disclosure only before a judge and in closed session.
“How can a Brigade of Investigations require a journalist to reveal his source?” the union asked adding that warning that such practices deepen mistrust between the press, the justice system and law enforcement agencies.
Beyond the individual case, CJTU sees a broader problem. It says actions of this nature signal an attempt by certain authorities to prevent the media from carrying out its social mission of informing the public. The union warns that intimidation of journalists does not strengthen security but instead weakens accountability and fuels suspicion.
As a solution, CJTU has called on the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, to ensure that law enforcement agencies fully respect the rights of journalists and citizens. It has also urged the Commander of the Brigade of Investigations to halt what it describes as exceptional and abusive measures and, if necessary, refer the matter to the competent courts.
The union further demanded an immediate end to what it called a manhunt against Lamissia, insisting that journalists are not enemies of the security forces. It also called on its members and sympathisers to remain mobilised and vigilant in defence of press freedom.
CJTU framed the issue in terms of national interest, arguing that silencing journalists does not resolve underlying problems.
“Stop breaking the thermometer, treat the fever,” the statement read.
The outcome, CJTU insists, will have lasting implications not only for journalists, but for public confidence in the rule of law.
