Cameroon is considered a high-risk country for journalists and press workers. The country drops 20 places, ranking 138th worldwide out of 180, on the press freedom index 2023 published by Reporters Without Borders.

"Although Cameroon has one of the richest media landscapes in Africa, it is one of the continent's most dangerous countries for journalists, who operate in a hostile and precarious environment," RSF says. The organization cited the disappearance and murder of Martinez Zogo as the main factor that worked against Cameroon.

RSF also denounces other "abuses" against journalists in the country, including the detention and conviction of Amadou Vamoulké, the former director general of CRTV. Overall, six such "abuses" have been reported between late 2022 and early 2023. However, RSF specifies that these are journalists killed, imprisoned, and detained because of their professional activity. Those who are targeted for reasons that have nothing to do with their profession are not cited.

As a result, Cameroon ranks last in terms of press freedom in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) zone. The best performer in the region is the Congo, ranked 81st worldwide.

On the continent, South Africa (25th), Cape Verde (33rd), and Seychelles (34th) made the Top 3. Eritrea (174th) and Egypt (166th), on the other hand, are the only two African countries in the red zone alongside North Korea, ranked the most dangerous country for journalists worldwide.

Michel Ange Nga