IHRP Working Group: Cameroon Atrocities Project - Verifying incidents of human rights abuses for future accountability

By: Allison Zhao (3L) and Bruce Yao (2L)

Group Leads: Allison Zhao (3L JD/MGA) and Bruce Yao (2L)

Group Members: Maya Bamber (1L), Rui Ting Dong (1L), Daphne Embry (1L), Saahil Gill (1L), Kelvin Ling (1L), Mia Miric (1L), Johan (John) Oh (1L), Ethan Safaei (1L), Sanaea Suntok (1L), Cameron Vrckovnik (1L), Charlize Yao (1L), Diego Alvarez de Lorenzana (1L), Rebecca Dragusin (3L JD/MGA)

When and why was the IHRP Cameroon Atrocities Project Working Group instituted?

The International Human Rights Program’s (IHRP) Cameroon Atrocities Project (CAP) Working Group was established in December 2019 as a part of the University of Toronto’s Cameroon Anglophone Crisis Database of Atrocities. The initiative was piloted in response to Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis, which has been ongoing since 2016. Fighting between the Cameroon Security forces and separatists has resulted in civilians being subjected to school burnings, rapes, kidnappings, enforced lockdowns, and extrajudicial killings. Most recently, the tension surrounding Cameroon’s October 2025 presidential election led to outbreaks of violence and mass arrests, amid accusations of electoral fraud. 

The CAP Working Group’s dedication to expanding the database aims to counter the prevalent culture of impunity by verifying and storing evidence for future accountability procedures, including by assisting activists and journalists. The database intends to function as a deterrence mechanism for perpetrators committing further atrocities. 

To accomplish these objectives, IHRP law student volunteers investigate incidents anonymously submitted to the database and verify as much information as they can about each incident regarding location, time, and perpetrator(s). Students then write and submit reports on each event to be preserved in the database. The reports are used to keep track of incidents and to support investigations and prosecutions where possible. The database is apolitical and nonpartisan, and incident investigations are reported accordingly. In addition to the student leads, the working group is guided by Brian Silverman, a Professor of Strategic Management at Rotman School of Management and Billie Burton, the Co-Director of the Cameroon Database of Atrocities. 

How has the work of this group changed in recent years?

            While the nature of the CAP Working Group has not changed significantly this year, we have been receiving more interest from 1L students and have benefited from an expanded team. This may signal an increasing interest in human rights amongst the student body more generally. A larger team affords us more opportunity to use multiple methods of verification for increased precision and to pursue research leads more efficiently. 

How does the CAP Working Group contribute to the IHRP experience?  

            IHRP student volunteers have the unique opportunity to be trained in using Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques that are not typically explored in law classes. These tools involve using satellite, weather and sun data, and social media to pinpoint locations and times when photo and video evidence was collected. These skills complement the students’ legal skills and equip them to work in international human rights law, where OSINT techniques may be essential. The CAP Working Group also provides students with hands-on experience in fact-checking evidence of reported human rights abuses while strengthening their writing skills for public-facing reports. While investigating the incidents, students also develop their knowledge of a lesser-known human rights crisis. 

Events

In March 2025, the Cameroon Atrocities Project working group welcomed Dr. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe for a presentation and conversation. Dr. Ngo Mbe is the Executive Director of the Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (“REDHAC,” or the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network) and a prominent human rights advocate from Cameroon. Her talk highlighted the realities of a career in international human rights law, as well as the critical need for international human rights lawyers. Dr. Ngo Mbe’s expertise and professional experience brought an incredible perspective to students in the CAP Working Group and beyond. 

The Cameroon Anglophone Crisis Database of Atrocities can be accessed here.