The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of a deteriorating environment for public freedoms in Cameroon as the presidential elections scheduled for October 12 approach, urging authorities to take “urgent measures” to ensure free, transparent, and inclusive elections.

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement released Tuesday that “a safe and conducive environment for promoting human rights is a fundamental condition for holding peaceful and credible elections,” expressing regret over the absence of such an environment in the country.

The statement pointed to a series of measures considered to restrict the civil and political space, including bans on gatherings, restrictions on opposition parties’ activities, and the cutting of a live TV interview with a prominent political figure on August 7.

It also mentioned threats and intimidation against opposition candidates and their supporters, concerns about the exclusion of political figures from the presidential race, and irregularities in voter registration.

On August 4, security forces arrested 53 opposition supporters in front of the Constitutional Council headquarters in Yaoundé during appeal sessions against decisions issued by the electoral body, charging them with “disturbing public order,” “illegal assembly,” and “inciting rebellion.”

Although they were later released, Türk emphasized that “they should not have been arrested in the first place” for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The statement noted that authorities suspended the work of three civil society organizations and banned two others last December, imposing restrictions on the activities and funding of some groups.

Türk called on the government to stop “suppressing the vital work” of civil society organizations and media, and to take concrete steps to counter hate speech, misinformation, and incitement to violence, both online and offline, in accordance with international human rights law.

This UN warning comes amid a tense political atmosphere, with concerns that imposed restrictions may affect voters’ ability to freely express their will, potentially impacting the integrity of the upcoming presidential election.