Eight Chadian opposition leaders have been arrested and jailed for eight years by President Mahamat Idriss Deby.
Mahamat Idriss DÉBY took office in May 2024, transitioning from military rule to a democratically disputed presidency.
The defendants challenged Deby’s election, prompting protest and indignation march in Chad because the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) holds overwhelming influence in parliament, with the next presidential elections scheduled for 2029.
“We are not surprised but are disappointed by the court’s decision, which is based on non-existent offences,” said the defendants’ lawyer, Moussa Adoum.
He said they would be requesting the case be taken to the criminal court of appeal in N’Djamena, “so that the court can rule without political pressure”.
Since coming to power following the death of his long-ruling father Idriss Deby Itno at the hands of rebels, Deby has overseen the jailing of many of his main rivals like Succes Masra, a former Prime minister, was sentenced to 20 years for “incitement to hatred” in May 2025.
Masra’s Transformers party had called for the eight opposition leaders’ liberation in early May at a rally in support of their jailed leader, during which the security forces killed a protester.
In mid-April, the movement launched a call on social media for Chadians to protest against “injustice, exclusion and for the re-establishment of our rights, our liberties and of justice”.
And in October, the coalition slammed the “climate of terror” caused by “intimidation” and “threats”, on top of the authorities’ bans on demonstrations and public meetings.
Early in the same month, Chad’s parliament passed a constitutional revision allowing the president unlimited seven-year terms by a landslide.
Chad is a landlocked, culturally diverse nation in north-central Africa, often termed the “dead heart of Africa”. It is the 5th largest country in Africa, with a population of around 20 million, a youthful average age of 16.5, and is characterized by a Sahara desert north, Sahelian center, and savannah south. The nation, rich with over 200 ethnic groups, faces significant economic, environmental, and stability challenges.
The country experiences high poverty, with over 36% of the population living in extreme poverty as of 2024, and faces ongoing humanitarian needs.Chad is currently under the firm control of President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who won the disputed May 2024 election, extending his family’s decades-long rule.
Politics are defined by authoritarian consolidation, with the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) dominating, while opposition figures face repression. The nation faces severe security challenges from militants near Lake Chad and instability in neighboring countries.
Opposition voices face significant pressure, with key figures arrested or suppressed, and freedom of expression limited.
