YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon — A military tribunal in Yaoundé has sentenced Abdul Karim Ali, a prominent Southern Cameroons activist and academic, to life imprisonment in absentia, raising worries over the Cameroonian government’s handling of the close to a decade-long ongoing conflict in the Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia.
The verdict, delivered on April 16, 2025, by a panel of three military magistrates, comes nearly three years after Ali was arrested in Bamenda, the capital of the Northern Zone of what separatists call Ambazonia today. Ali, who identifies as a citizen of the self-declared state of Ambazonia, has consistently rejected the Cameroonian court’s jurisdiction, asserting his status as a non-Cameroonian national.
In a letter submitted to the tribunal in May 2024, Ali stated his refusal to acknowledge the authority of “La République du Cameroun,” emphasizing his allegiance to Ambazonia. His legal team, led by attorney Joseph Awah Fru, has decried the trial as a violation of both national and international legal norms, particularly criticizing the use of a military court to try a civilian.
“Mr. Abdul Karim Ali has remained consistent in his stance—he is not Cameroonian; he is Ambazonian,” Fru said in a statement. “Trying him as a civilian in a military court is not only a gross violation of national and international legal norms, but it also confirms the targeted and systemic oppression of those who challenge the state’s forced assimilation of Anglophone territories.”
Ali’s detention has since drawn international scrutiny. Human Rights Watch reported that following his arrest in August 2022, Ali was held without access to legal representation for several days and detained in harsh conditions, including a windowless cell shared with multiple detainees. Amnesty International has also called for his immediate release, citing concerns over arbitrary detention and the suppression of freedom of expression in Cameroon.
The Anglophone conflict in Cameroon, rooted in the perceived annexation and marginalization of English-speaking regions, has led to ongoing conflict since 2016. Ali’s sentencing is seen by many observers as emblematic of the broader challenges facing Anglophone activists and the need for comprehensive dialogue to address the crisis.
As Ali remains incarcerated at Kondengui Central Prison, his legal team and supporters continue to advocate for his release and the recognition of the rights of the Anglophone population in Cameroon.
