The great African poet and political activist Enoh Meyomesse (60), comes to a reading tour to Austria in November. Meyomesse was just released from prison in Camerun in May, after several PEN centers in the U.S. and Europe have intervened for him. Reading performances are planned for Vienna, Graz and Fresach from 12th to 15th November 2015. Enoh Meyomesse is a writer, blogger, historian and fighter for human rights and freedom of expression. He has published numerous books of poetry, prose, essays and papers on political and cultural issues. He is a founding member and president of the Cameroon Writers Association and honorary member of several PEN centers, including the Austrian PEN. In 2013, he got the Oxfam Novib Pen Award in recognition of the continuation of its work despite persecution. Meyomesse competed against the incumbent President Paul Biya for 30 years in several elections, exposed to massive repression and been arrested several times. In 2011 he was accused for a coup attempt, illegal weapons possession and aggravated burglary – for which he was jailed in Bertoua, in complete darkness in solitary confinement. Legal counsel was denied. In December 2011, he was moved to the central prison Kondengui in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. The detention conditions there are described by Amnesty International as “devastating”. With the support of PEN Club Austria the “Jail Verse Poems from Kondengui Prison” were translated into German. The poetry book is a shocking document – the occupants get just to eat once a day, the sanitary facilities were poor. With torture and extortion attempts to snatch the detainees confessions. The authorities abuse the criminal justice system in order to make the opposition, human rights activists or critical journalists silenced or act against homosexuals.
