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PRESS RELEASE
25 November 2009

Cameroon:
Lapiro de Mbanga wins global award

One song — three years imprisonment. Global award to the singer that the president of Cameroon fears for voicing peoples frustrations.

Imprisoned musician Lapiro de Mbango is the 2009-winner of the ‘Freedom to Create’ Imprisoned Artist Prize.

Click to to go freedomtocreateprize.com

Nominated by Freemuse, Lapiro de Mbanga – described as an “unceremonial sheriff of the backyards” – was selected “in recognition of his courage and outstanding artwork” by a distinguished panel including world famous conductor Daniel Barenboim and Geoffrey Robertson, one of the world’s foremost human rights lawyers.

The news was conveyed to Lapiro in his prison cell in Cameroon a few hours before the prize ceremony took place Wednesday evening at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum in attendance of international luminaries such as the celebrated Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Time Out founder Tony Elliot and Human rights activist Bianca Jagger.

More information
See the press release in right column on this page

Freemuse press contact
Ole Reitov, tel: +45 2323 2765

Click to open or right-click to download PDF
Open or download this press release in PDF format


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High resolution photos of Lapiro

These photos are for free use in printed media under condition of stating the source: Freemuse, and photographer's name


Right-click and choose 'Save Target As' to start downloading

Lapiro de Mbanga
, in prison, November 2009.
Photo by Jen Bell.

Size 17 x 22 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 2.4 MB

Right-click and choose 'Save Target As' to start downloading

Lapiro de Mbanga
in court room on 25 June 2009.
Photo by Jen Bell

Size 22 x 16 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 2.0 MB


Right-click and choose 'Save Target As' to start downloading

Lapiro de Mbanga
being escorted by the major of Njombé Penja, Mr. Kingué. on 24 July 2008.
Photo courtesy by Issa Nyaphaga

Size 13 x 10 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 1.9 MB



  Radio broadcasters: MP3 audio file with the banned song

Contact Freemuse and we can quickly email you Lapiro's song 'Constitution Constipée' in MP3 format for broadcast

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Related reading:

Cameroon / USA: American lawyers prepare UN petition for Lapiro
Cameroon keeping Lapiro imprisoned is a violation of international law, argues a team of four lawyers from a US law firm
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Mondomix has launched a free-for-download album in support of the imprisoned cameroonian singer Lapiro de Mbanga
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Cameroon: Lapiro de Mbanga wins global award
Imprisoned musician Lapiro de Mbanga is the 2009 winner of the 'Freedom to Create' Imprisoned Artist Prize
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High profiled panel points at imprisoned musician Lapiro for the final shortlist of The Orient Global Freedom to Create Prize
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Freedom Now, a US based lawyers’ advocacy organisation, is now officially monitoring singer Lapiro de Mbanga's case
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In this complicated case, there are problems of leadership, tribalism and politics. Lapiro de Mbanga’s case is a political persecution in disguise, writes journalist Jen Bell
09 July 2009
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"This is the trial of the voiceless," said singer Lapiro de Mbanga when he was interviewed just a few hours before a court hearing on 24 June 2009 in Douala, Cameroon
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