The Miss Cameroon affair continues to spark reactions. Me Dominique Fousse, a committed lawyer, has spoken out to denounce what she considers a "media lynching" of Josiane Golonga, Miss Cameroon 2025. This stance comes after the unauthorized dissemination of private conversations attributed to the beauty queen, an act that the lawyer describes as a serious violation of privacy.
"Appropriating intimate discussions is crossing a red line," said Me Fousse, stressing that the publication of these exchanges, massively shared on social networks, constitutes an infringement of the young woman's privacy. The lawyer insists that this theft of personal data is a criminal offense and not a simple opinion. From Yaoundé, the case has grown considerably, with more than 500,000 shares recorded.
Me Fousse calls on the media and authorities, including the Ministry of Communication, to take responsibility for this situation. She points out that freedom of expression has limits and that informing should not rhyme with humiliating. The lawyer insists on the violence represented by the publication of private exchanges with the aim of exposing a young woman to public outrage.
This case highlights the challenges of personal data protection and the risks associated with cyberbullying in Cameroon. It comes on the eve of International Women's Day, highlighting the persistent shortcomings in Cameroonian digital society. The question of media responsibility in the face of the virality of online content is also raised. Refusing to relay such information is protecting, insists Me Fousse. Josiane Golonga was removed from her title as Miss Cameroon 2025. Barely 24 hours after her dismissal, she was arrested by the police in Yaoundé.
In Cameroon, Law No. 2024/017 on the Protection of Personal Data came into force on December 23, 2024, with a deadline for compliance set for June 23, 2026. This law governs the collection, processing, storage and transfer of personal data, and provides for penalties in the event of non-compliance. It also grants rights to data subjects, such as the right to access, rectify and delete their data.
