Torture and Detention in Cameroon

The terrorist organization Boko Haram is wreaking havoc in Cameroon. National counterterrorist units are receiving assistance from international troops to combat the jihadist group. In the conflict, gross human rights violations are committed—also by the government.

Using satellite photography, anonymous leaked documents, and photos posted on social media, the multidisciplinary research agency Forensic Architecture investigated the events that took place at two bases of the counterterrorist units, where prisoners were abused.

Forensic Architecture’s method differs from other forms of investigative journalism in that they go beyond merely setting out the facts. Based on a variety of sources, the collective has also reconstructed the prisons where the violations took place, and the atrocities themselves, in 3D computer models. We get a tour of the cells shown from all angles, as eyewitness accounts of torture and ill-treatment are read aloud. The project thus creates a complete picture of the crimes—by objectively demonstrating what happened, identifying those responsible, and hearing the experiences of the victims.