International Press Institute (IPI)
Media rights organisations have written to authorities over the disappearance of freelance journalist Hans Achomba, who went missing after police questioned him over his election reporting.
This statement was originally published on ipi.media on 11 November 2025.
We call on the police to launch swift investigations to determine his whereabouts
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We, the undersigned organisations, express our deep concern over the disappearance of freelance journalist Hans Achomba since November 5, 2025. To date, his whereabouts remain unknown. We urge the police to investigate the matter and ascertain his whereabouts swiftly.
Before his disappearance, Achomba was questioned by the police on Monday, November 3, over his reporting and social media posts in the build-up to the October 12 elections in Cameroon. Following the elections, protests erupted, resulting in widespread violence, with at least four people killed allegedly by security forces, dozens injured, and hundreds more arrested across the country, according to Human Rights Watch.
When he was questioned by the police on November 3, the police are also reported to have confiscated Achomba's National Identity Card and Passport. Achomba was supposed to return to the Bamenda Police Station with his lawyer on November 6 at 10:00 am. However, he did not appear at the police station. His lawyer also updated that an attempt was made to verify if he was in police custody, but the police indicated that he had not been detained. Efforts by his family, colleagues, and his lawyer to ascertain his whereabouts have been unsuccessful.
While it is not clear whether Achomba's disappearance is related to his professional work, these circumstances raise serious concerns about the safety of journalists and the state of media freedom in Cameroon.
In 2017, Achomba was also arrested and detained for several months on accusations of complicity in hostility against the fatherland, secession, propagation of false news, insurrection, incitement to civil war, and complicity in acts of terrorism. He had been seen speaking to a cyclist about why he was on the streets during a time when there were a series of protests, strikes, and shutdowns in the country's English-speaking regions. He was later released in September 2017 after the office of President Paul Biya announced that Cameroon was ending criminal proceedings against those detained during the period of unrest.
We continue to stand in solidarity with the journalists and the media community in Cameroon, and hope for Achomba's safe return.
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Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC)
African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX)
Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO)
Initiative for Embracing Humanity in Africa
International Press Institute (IPI)
Kenya Union of Journalists
MISA Mozambique
Moxii Africa (Rebranding from Media Monitoring Africa)
Panos Institute Southern Africa
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS)
South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF)
Southern Africa Editors Forum (SAEF)
The African Editors Forum (TAEF)
West African Editors Society (WAES)
Workers World Media Production (WWMP)
Zambia Free Press Initiative
