May 15, 2025, Maotu, Northern Cameroon. Arbitrary Detention The Cameroon military abducted 99 young Ambazonia men and 18 women living in Cameroon, just for being Ambazonians. Alongside these arbitrary arrests, the Cameroon security forces have also seized thousands of motorcycles and personal properties from these innocent Ambazonia civilians without due process. These actions constitute grave breaches of International law. Violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law

Arbitrary Detention and False Accusations

The abduction and detention of civilians without credible evidence or fair trial guarantees violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), particularly: Article 9 (Right to liberty and security of person; freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention), Article 14 (Right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal).

Collective Punishment and Property Seizure

The mass confiscation of civilian property, including motorcycles vital for daily livelihood, amounts to collective punishment—a practice prohibited under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states: No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed.”

Targeting of Civilians

Labeling civilians as combatants without individual assessment and subjecting them to military detention or abuse constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL) and may rise to the level of war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including: Unlawful confinement, Persecution against Ambazonia civilians living in Cameroun Extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity.

Accountability and International Scrutiny

If substantiated by independent investigations, these actions by Cameroon forces constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. International bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Criminal Court are obligated to demand accountability and intervene where state mechanisms fail to uphold justice