CCPR/C/ 91/D/1186/2003 Page 4 Views under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol 1.1 The author of the communication is Dorothy Kakem Titiahonjo, wife of the alleged victim, Mathew Titiahonjo, a citizen of Cameroon born in 1953. She claims that her husband was the victim of violations by Cameroon of his rights under article 6 paragraph 1, article 7; article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4; article 19, paragraphs 1 and 2; article 22, paragraph 1; and article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. While the author alleges a violation of article 3 (a) and (b), it transpires that she means article 2, paragraph 3 (a) and (b), of the Covenant, read in conjunction with the above articles. She also claims to be a victim herself of violation by Cameroon of article 7 of the Covenant. The Optional Protocol entered into force for Cameroon on 27 September 1984. 1.2 The communication was sent to the State party for comments on 2 June 2003. Reminders were sent on 30 October 2006 and 31 May 2007. On 11 July 2007, the State party indicated that a response would be forthcoming without delay. At the time of the adoptions of the Views, the Committee had not received any response from the State party. The facts as submitted by the author 2.1 On 19 May 2000, at 5:30 a.m., while the author and Mr. Titiahonjo were sleeping, a group of police officers (“Gendarmes”) broke into their house and began beating Mr. Titiahonjo with an iron rod. 2.2 The author herself was at the time in an advanced state of pregnancy; she was also mistreated by the officers. She was dragged out of bed and pushed into the gutter and also slapped. The police officers stated that they were looking for a gun. While they were in the house they took 300.000 Frs. that the family had saved in view of the forthcoming childbirth. No gun was found, but the officers promised to return. 2.3 On 21 May 2000, the same police officers including one Captain Togolo came in a car which stopped in front of the author’s house. They took Mr. Titiahonjo to the Gendarmerie cell. There, he was beaten and forced to sleep on the bare floor naked. He was beaten on the soles of his feet and on his head. As a result of his swollen feet, he could not stand up. The captain refused to give him any food and the author was not allowed to bring him any. Mr. Titiahonjo asked why he was arrested but he received no answer. 2.4 On several occasions in June 2000 she went to the police station to give her husband some food but she was “chased” away. On 24 June 2000 the author went to the police station and saw Captain Togolo beat her husband but she was not allowed to visit him. The gun that the officers were looking for was found in the street on or about 25 June 2000. Mr. Titiahonjo, however, continued to be held incommunicado and to be ill treated. As an answer to the author’s question why Mr. Titiahonjo was still being beaten after they had found the gun, Captain Togolo replied that it was because the victim belonged to the Southern Cameroon National Council (“SCNC”), which he qualified as a “secessionist organization”. 2.5 On an unspecified date, after a complaint filed by the author, a prosecutor ordered the release of Mr. Titiahonjo, but Captain Togolo refused to comply. Following this incident the author was taken to hospital where she prematurely gave birth to twins. Mr. Titiahonjo was