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By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NYP

UNITED NATIONS GATE, August 22 –After Cameroon imposed life sentences and massive fines on Ayuk Tabe and nine others, for days UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres refused to answer the written questions and request for comment from Inner City Press which Guterres has banned from the UN for 415 days.

  Now on August 22 his spokesman after receiving or arranging a question about "Anglophiles" replied that Guterres "takes note" of the sentences - and hopes that the detention is humane. Here is the video; here is the complete transcript: "we've taken note of the decision that was taken, that was taken by the military court in the sentence of Mr. Tabe and others, and nine other activists to life imprisonment and also a very serious fine.  We also understand there is an intention to appeal the sentence.  We continue to reiterate the need for due process to be followed throughout these proceedings, and we remain concerned about the allegations of ill‑treatment of prisoners and call on the authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated humanely in accordance with international human rights standards."

   This is disgusting, coming as it does after Guterres took a golden statue from Paul Biya and favors from him while Cameroon was chair of the UN Budget Committee.

After Biya who has ruled Cameroon for 37 years on January 28 had his opponent Maurice Kamto arrested, Inner City Press again asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his spokesmen for their comment and action, if any. This came after Guterres had Inner City Press roughed up on 3 July 2018 after it interviewed Biya's Ambassador about the two men's Budget Committee deals and banned from the UN since - Guterres even tried to get Inner City Press banned from the Park East Synagogue, here, which was denied / dodged by his French spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who put up then took down a podcast in which he brags about his "mutually assured destruction" relationship with journalists, here.

  On August 19 with Guterres missing for a 17th day in a row, in public schedule simply blank,  illegally detained Anglophone opposition leaders return to the Yaounde Military Tribunal. Their case was adjourned the last time out after the lawyers of the detained staged a walk out to protest against attempts by the panel of judges to charge their clients despite the fact that appeals are pending are pending at higher jurisdictions.  The health of some of the detainees deteriorates as one of them collapsed in court during the last hearing. Does Guterres care? He and his spokesmen and Communicator Melissa Fleming refuse day after day to refuse Press questions about Cameroon. On August 19, both Guterres and Fleming refused to answer Inner City Press' written questions about Ayuk Tabe, Tassang Wilfried, Nfor Ngala Nfor et al, thereby emboldening the Biya's kangaroo court.

  Then overnight on August 20 came news that Ayuk Tabe and the others have been given LIFE SENTENCES and an enormous fine, by Biya's military judge Judge Lieutenant Colonel MISSE NJONE Jacques B.

  Early on the morning of August 20, Inner City Press e-mailed questions to Guterres, Dujarric, Melissa Fleming, Amina J. Mohammed and others including: "August 20-1: On Cameroon, after you refused yesterday to answer in any way banned Inner City Press' question about Paul Biya's military "trial" of Ayuk Tabe and others, what now is the SG's comment and action if any on the LIFE SENTENCES now handed out?"

  At the UN noon briefing Inner City Press was banned from by Guterres for the 413th day in a row, there was not a single questions about anything in Africa. And Dujarric made no answer,  nor provided any answer - even by six pm.

   Then on August 22 in response to a question about "Anglophiles," Dujarric said that Guterres "takes note" of the life sentences to "Mister Tabe" and nine others - and that he hopes the detention is humane. This is disgusting. We'll have more on this.

  More here.

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