I simply need my mum back house (Image: Amnesty Global)

Prior To she moved quickly out the front door, my mom hugged me tightly, humming with excitement about attending her first protest and lend a hand push for change in our u . s . a ., Cameroon.

i assumed I’d see her again within the night time, after we would have dinner along with my grandmother – who we are living with – and talk about the day’s events.

But her goodbye that morning two years in the past was once more final than I ever imagined: she never again home.

Given That then, she has remained in a cramped prison cellular telephone in our city, Douala.

My mom, Dorgelesse Nguessan, had never been that interested by politics – running hard as a hairdresser to make ends meet, she used to be all the time busy with clients or looking after her circle of relatives.

But, because the future of our usa changed into increasingly bleak – the financial system was once in a bad manner – my mum wanted to get entangled with the growing selection of other folks expressing their frustration at the Govt and calling for change.

As a unmarried figure, she was worried approximately incomes enough to make stronger me and my grandmother, and he or she sought after her voice to count.

They fired rubber bullets, tear fuel and water cannons to disperse protesters.

I’m indignant and scared – it’s like dwelling in a never-ending nightmare (Image: Amnesty International)

My mom attempted to escape the violence down an alley, however she was followed by police, arrested and held on bail in a cell with 22 people and just one bed. She was once handled like an animal.

My mum was once charged with ‘insurrection, assembly, meetings and public demonstrations’ and after trial via an army court docket, she was sentenced to five years in Douala Primary Prison. She has been there ever seeing that.

Almost 100 folks had been arrested in connection to the September 2020 protests and SIXTY FOUR are nonetheless in detention, according to my mom’s lawyer, who represents the entire people arrested that day. Many are supporters of the primary political competition birthday celebration (my mum was once inspired by them, even though she wasn’t a member), and lots of report back to Amnesty having been tortured.

Those people, who had been brave sufficient to talk up, have done absolutely nothing wrong.

This isn’t a crime.  

Without her, my grandmother and that i to find it hard to cope emotionally and financially. She was once the primary breadwinner for our family. At 18, I combat to earn enough cash to beef up myself – i’ve sickle cell anaemia and feature to pay for my drugs – as well as my grandmother, who also suffers with a collection of medical conditions.

i would like to be a mechanic, so am also looking to continue my studies at the same time as being profitable after categories. I work in a garments shop and promote food at the market.

Dorgelesse Nguessan’s mom (Picture: Amnesty Global)

I’m angry and scared – it’s like residing in a by no means-finishing nightmare – now not realizing how she is far of the time and never understanding whilst she will be let loose. 

However Amnesty’s Write for Rights marketing campaign has given me a glimmer of hope. The campaign encourages millions of people around the global to jot down letters, emails, tweets and sign petitions to position power on governments, leaders and decision-makers in order that they release activists.

Through taking motion and writing to Paul Biya – the President of Cameroon – folks can remind him that the sector is looking at. 

With enough force, he may even unencumber my mom in order that we can be reunited and life can go back to some more or less standard.