a year of detention for chadian opposition leader succès masra
The former Prime Minister and leader of Les Transformateurs party, Succès Masra, received a 20-year prison sentence in August 2025. This conviction followed his arrest on charges of inciting hatred, which authorities linked to inter-community violence that erupted in the country’s Southern regions.
For the dedicated members and leadership of Les Transformateurs, this Saturday, May 16, marks a somber anniversary. It was on this date a year ago that their influential leader, Succès Masra, was apprehended from his home in the early morning hours.
Despite their leader’s year-long detention, the party maintains a resolute stance. Dr. Tog-Yeum Nagorngar, the Secretary-General of Les Transformateurs, conveyed a message of assurance, emphasizing the party’s continued focus on its objectives.
“President Succès Masra, despite his imprisonment, remains a guiding presence among us. The party is thriving and continues to focus steadfastly on its objectives, refusing to be sidetracked. Dr. Succès Masra has committed no act warranting a year of imprisonment. No credible evidence has been presented to substantiate the accusations against him. We are convinced this is an administrative and judicial error. The only individual who holds the power to rectify this mistake is Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, and we earnestly hope he will fulfill his responsibilities.”
numerous opposition figures detained
Just last week, eight other prominent opposition party leaders, all members of the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), were handed eight-year prison sentences. Their convictions stemmed from charges including “criminal association, insurrectional movements, rebellion, and possession of war weapons,” following their plans for a peaceful protest march. Sosthène Mbernodji, coordinator of the Citizen Movement for the Preservation of Liberties (MCPL), expressed deep regret over these arrests, asserting that genuine political opposition in Chad has been effectively silenced.
“Since their leader was jailed a year ago, Les Transformateurs’ operational capacity has been significantly curtailed. Furthermore, the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP) was the last remaining coalition offering an alternative perspective. Now, the authorities have weaponized the justice system to dismantle this group and silence its eight leading members. I believe we are no longer operating within a democracy; instead, a long-term monarchy is taking root in Chad, which is truly lamentable. It is imperative to ease the social and political tensions for the country to progress. At this juncture, Chad has regressed by 40 to 50 years, effectively returning to a single-party system reminiscent of the post-independence era.”
In response to this wave of arrests and convictions, a coalition of approximately twenty opposition parties collectively denounced what they perceive as the suppression of dissenting voices and the blatant instrumentalization of the judiciary in a joint press statement.
