Prosecutor in Chad demands 25 years imprisonment for opposition leader figure
Chadian Opposition Leader Succes Masra Convicted of Inciting Violence
Succes Masra, a former prime minister of Chad and one of the fiercest critics of President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined 1 billion CFA francs (about 1.5 million euros) following a controversial trial.
The trial, which began on August 9-10, 2025, saw Masra convicted of hate speech, xenophobia, and inciting inter-communal violence linked to a massacre in Mandakao, southwestern Chad, in May 2025. The massacre, as reported by the courts, primarily targeted women and children.
The chief prosecutor, Louapamel Mahouli Bruno, had demanded a 25-year prison sentence for Masra and his co-defendants, 69 of whom were also sentenced to 20 years in prison for their involvement in the killings.
Masra's lawyers have strongly disputed the conviction, calling it a "humiliation" and asserting that the case was based on an "empty dossier" and "assumptions" without evidence. They argue the trial was a political tool and "weaponisation of the courts" aimed at silencing a fierce critic of the government.
Following his conviction, activists from Masra's political party, Les Transformateurs, protested the ruling and condemned President Deby. They appointed former finance minister Bedoumra Kordje as interim party leader.
The Mandakao massacre is part of ongoing inter-community conflicts in Chad, particularly between pastoralists and sedentary farmers. According to the International Crisis Group, these conflicts have caused over 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024.
Calls for international intervention or human rights monitoring have emerged from Masra’s supporters and human rights activists, urging external oversight due to concerns about judicial independence and political repression. However, no formal international intervention has been reported as of August 2025.
Masra, who enjoys wide popularity among the predominantly Christian and animist populations of the south who feel marginalized by the largely Muslim regime in the capital N'Djamena, returned to Chad under an amnesty agreed in 2024 after leaving the country following a bloody crackdown on his followers in 2022.
In June 2025, Masra went on hunger strike in jail for nearly a month.
The controversy surrounding Masra's trial and conviction has triggered political opposition protests and raised concerns about the use of the judiciary to suppress dissent in Chad.
- The conviction of Succes Masra, a Chadian opposition leader, has sparked international concern as many view it as a politically motivated move to silence critical voices.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice issues in Chad, such as the one exemplified by the Mandakao massacre, have prompted calls for international intervention to ensure fair general-news reporting and uphold human rights.
- The controversy surrounding Masra's trial and imprisonment has added fuel to the flames of an already tense political landscape in Chad, with international politics potentially playing a role in the manipulation of domestic court proceedings.
