The government of Cameroon has officially declared that media discussions about the health situation of President Paul Biya, 91, are now outlawed in the country.
On October 9, the territorial administration minister, Paul Atanga Nji, issued a communique saying that the health of President Biya is a security issue.
Nji added that any media debate on the state of the president is “formally forbidden,” and warned that “offenders” will face the law.
The minister also asked every governor across the country to establish “monitoring cells” to identify the authors of “tendentious comments” in the private media and on social media.
The communique comes amidst speculations on social media over Biya’s wellbeing and whereabouts, including that he might have died.
Concerns were raised, as Biya, in power since 1982, has not been seen in public for over a month. On October 8, a government spokesperson said that Biya was in good health and that speculation about his health was “pure fantasy.” He explained that the president was enjoying “a brief private stay in Europe.”
The decision has caused uproar among media professionals and opposition party leaders who criticized it as step backwards for freedom of expression.
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