Enoh Meyomesse is a Cameroonian writer currently being held in Kondengui Central Prison in the country’s capital, Yaoundé. He has been imprisoned in various locations since the 22nd of November 2011, on charges such as being involved with an attempted coup, possessing a firearm, and theft. No evidence or witnesses for these crimes were presented at his trial, and he was not allowed to present a defence. His lawyers were able to appeal his case, but the trial date has been repeatedly postponed and now, 15 months on from the original appeal, the date is set for the 20th of November 2014. However, given past proceedings, it is debatable whether or not this trial will take place.
In his first 30 days of imprisonment he was subjected to torture; he was kept in complete darkness for the full 30 days and as a result of this has long-term sight damage which could lead to permanent blindness. He is also suffering from gastrointestinal disease which is not consistently treated in the dire conditions under which he is held.
Enoh Meyomesse has continued to write while in prison, and has published a collection of poems, adding to his 15 publications prior to his imprisonment.
Meyomesse himself wrote, “[English PEN] have proven to me that, while my biological family has abandoned me, there exists another family – perhaps even more important – a literary family, a family of novelists and poets like me, which is always beside me and will never abandon me.”, and that is why on the 17th of November, Liverpool Student PEN centre will join with other PEN centres around the globe and write messages of solidarity and support to Enoh Meyomesse.
In his first 30 days of imprisonment he was subjected to torture; he was kept in complete darkness for the full 30 days and as a result of this has long-term sight damage which could lead to permanent blindness. He is also suffering from gastrointestinal disease which is not consistently treated in the dire conditions under which he is held.
Enoh Meyomesse has continued to write while in prison, and has published a collection of poems, adding to his 15 publications prior to his imprisonment.
Meyomesse himself wrote, “[English PEN] have proven to me that, while my biological family has abandoned me, there exists another family – perhaps even more important – a literary family, a family of novelists and poets like me, which is always beside me and will never abandon me.”, and that is why on the 17th of November, Liverpool Student PEN centre will join with other PEN centres around the globe and write messages of solidarity and support to Enoh Meyomesse.
Learn more
Alain Mabanckou writes to Enoh Meyomesse
Enoh Meyomesse's Website
Enoh Meyomesse writes from jail
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