I posted the above picture of me exactly two years ago, today. Just yesterday, the U.S. State Department noted in its country report on human rights in Cameroon that “(f)ormer minister of state for territorial administration Marafa Hamidou Yaya, convicted in 2012 on corruption charges and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in a trial that featured little hard evidence, remained in detention.” Marafa is accordingly designated a political prisoner by our U.S. government for the third year in a row.
Please grab your camera plus a “Free Marafa” sign and join me by submitting your photo signature @ http://marafa-watch.tumblr.com/submit What better way to celebrate Independence Day 2015 in the U.S. than with this gesture in support of Marafa’s independence and that of political prisoners all over the world?
Your prompt support is greatly needed and will be very much appreciated. It is my understanding that Marafa’s health is failing fast. The U.S. State Department confirms that “(d)uring the year the (Cameroon) government reportedly refused to issue the necessary permit to allow NGOs regular access to the (Marafa).”
Thank you,
Attorney Zena Crenshaw-Logal*
Co-Founder of U.S. Friends of Marafa Committee
and Marafa Watch
Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/MarafaWatch
U.S. Country Report on Human Rights in Cameroon as of 2014: http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/#wrapper
*Bar admissions limited to 7th Cir. COA
