The French government expressed concern over the violent crackdown on post-election protests in Cameroon, urging authorities to guarantee the safety and physical integrity of all citizens, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

“We believe it is essential that democracy, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law be scrupulously respected and that all persons arbitrarily detained since the beginning of the electoral process be released in order to preserve national cohesion,” the statement read.

Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya, in power since 1982, was officially declared the winner of the October 12 presidential election, a result that has intensified tensions in the cocoa and oil-producing nation. Critics accuse Biya of using state institutions to maintain his long-standing grip on power.

Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary vowed to resist until the “final victory,” calling on supporters to continue protests. According to the civil society group Stand Up for Cameroon, at least 23 people have been killed during security forces’ crackdowns on demonstrators since the weekend.

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