U.S. assistant secretary for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, has called on Cameroon authorities to release “immediately” the leader of opposition party movement for the renaissance of Cameroon, Maurice Kamto, and his supporters.

Kamto, who is challenging the results of last November’s presidential election, was arrested during a rally in the country’s economic capital, Douala, and jailed with his supporters in the capital.

Charges against them include hostility to the state, destruction of state property, and rebellion.  They are being tried by a military tribunal.  If found guilty, they face the death penalty.

Nagy said Kamto’s arrest was “politically motivated.”  He also said the government is not giving the political crisis in the north west and south west the serious attention it deserves.

Source: ANN