Cameroon

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CountryCameroon
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Administration Penitentiaire (DAPEN)
Contact address
Yaounde, Cameroon
Telephone
+237 222 05 51
Fax
+237 222 05 51
Website
http://www.minjustice.gov.cm/index.php?lang=en
Head of prison administration (and title)
Manfred Metuge Akame
Directeur
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
32 003
at June 2022 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
116
based on an estimated national population of 27.56 million at June 2022 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
58.0%
(September 2021)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.6%
(31.10.2020)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
2.6%
(31.10.2020 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
4.9%
(31.12.2017)
Number of establishments / institutions
79
(2020 - the number of prisons that are functional)
Official capacity of prison system
19 415
(June 2022)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
164.8%
(June 2022)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2002 20,000 119
2003 20,603 120
2005 22,734 127
2007 23,123 119
2009 23,368 115
2011 24,000 112
2013 25,914 115
2015 28,120 119
2017 30,701 124
2019 30,606 118
2021 31,815 117
2002 20,000 119
2003 20,603 120
2005 22,734 127
2007 23,123 119
2009 23,368 115
2011 24,000 112
2013 25,914 115
2015 28,120 119
2017 30,701 124
2019 30,606 118
2021 31,815 117

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                            CAMEROON

Year

Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment

Percentage of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2003
2008
2011
2015

c. 13,000
14,881
16,800
15,699

c. 65%
60.7%
70.0%
55.8%

c. 76
76
78
66

2021

18,437

58.0%

68

 

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                  CAMEROON

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2003
2009
2015

503
545
697

2.5%
2.4%
2.7%

3.0
2.7
2.9

2020

717

2.7%

2.7

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate