Cameroonian musician Valsero due in military court today

The rapper, whose real name is Gaston Philippe Abe Abe, is charged with insurrection, incitement to insurrection, group rebellion, criminal association, complicity, riotous assembly, disturbance of public order and hostility to the homeland, which carries the death penalty.

“Valsero, along with his sound engineer, has been imprisoned for over six months for merely attending a peaceful march in protest of the last election results in Cameroon,” Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) director Julie Trébault told PEN America. “This is a targeted attempt to silence an internationally known and beloved rapper who strives, both through his music and his activism, to critique the government and inspire social change.”

“His ongoing detention in poor conditions and the exaggerated charges against him are an intolerable affront both to artistic freedom and human dignity. We urge the Cameroonian government to immediately drop the charges against Valsero and uphold its domestic and international commitments to protect freedom of expression and ensure that artists are free to create without fear”. 

Cameroonian media reported that 26 January protests in Douala, known as the White Marches, ended with the arrest of about 130 people. The demonstrations were organised by the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) following widespread suspicion of fraud during the October 2018 presidential election.

President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982, won those elections with 71% of the vote while MRC leader Maurice Kamto garnered 14%.

Valsero was arrested on 26 January and taken to Yaoundé Principal Prison. Kamto and his allies Penda Ekoka, Albert Dzongang and Paul Eric Kingue were arrested on 28 January.

Journal du Cameroun reported that Valsero, Kamto and his associates were taken to the military tribunal on 20 August but the case was set for a later date pending a verdict by the Mfoundi High Court. Kamto and his allies had moved to challenge the competence of the military tribunal to try civilians in March 2019.

Africa Radio presenter Laurene Lepeytre said on her Tu vas où Fatou talk show on 2 September that Valsero was arrested in front of the French Institute while with his seven-year-old daughter.

“Valsero was not part of the demonstrations but only met the protesters before the march," Lepeytre said. "He held a 10-minute speech about his Make Sense Not War campaign to sensitise participants and security forces to remain non-violent.”

Several musicians such as Blick Bassy, Patricia Essong, Bobi Wine and Martial Pa'nucci have decried Valsero's imprisonment.

"Governments from all over the world are coming up with new forms of repression against musicians and their work," self-exiled Congolese rapper and activist Martial Pa'nucci told Music In Africa. "I urge African artists not be intimidated and instead keep being the voice of the people just like Valsero. Efforts by activists to highlight important issues and the unifying power of music remains fundamental in rallying hearts and minds to the cause."

Meanwhile, Amnesty International launched an online petition in April 2019 that calls on the Cameroonian authorities to free Valsero and the other detained protesters.