A major opposition leader and former prime minister of Chad was arrested early Friday, raising concerns about a potential crackdown on dissent in the country, which has a history of using state power to silence critics.
The politician, Succès Masra, faces charges of incitement to hatred and revolt, complicity in murder, and desecration of graves, according to Chad’s prosecutor, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye. These charges are linked to recent violence between communities that resulted in the deaths of dozens of women and children.
Civil society and political activists in Chad have recently experienced imprisonment, torture, intimidation, and death at the hands of security forces. Supporters of Mr. Masra, a prominent opposition figure and leader of the Transformers political party, view his arrest as part of this troubling trend, with many taking to social media to demand his release.
“We demand his unconditional release,” stated one supporter on Facebook, while another urged fellow party members to “rise up” for Mr. Masra’s liberation.
The political landscape in parts of Africa has become increasingly hostile for opposition figures. Recently, Mali’s military junta announced the dissolution of all political parties, and an outspoken critic of the junta was arrested. Additionally, Ivory Coast’s main opposition leader was barred from running in the upcoming presidential election due to his French citizenship, which he had previously renounced.
In Chad, Mr. Masra was taken from his home by men in military uniforms at 5 a.m. local time. The secretary general of the Transformers party described the incident as an “abduction,” noting that no court summons was presented. The party later confirmed that its leaders and Mr. Masra’s lawyers were allowed to see him and urged supporters to remain calm.
Prosecutor Kedelaye linked Mr. Masra to a violent attack this week in the Logone Occidental province, where tensions between herders and farmers have escalated. He claimed that Mr. Masra had incited the population to arm themselves against others through social media messages, although specific examples of these messages were not provided.
Remadji Hoinathy, a researcher specializing in Central Africa, stated that he would reserve judgment until evidence is presented against Mr. Masra. He noted that the situation is complex and pointed out the government's history of using judicial measures against political opponents.
Previous opposition leader Yaya Dillo highlighted the dangers faced by dissenters, recounting that security forces had killed several of his family members during a failed arrest attempt. Mr. Dillo was killed in a confrontation with security forces last year.
In the wake of the death of long-time dictator Idriss Déby, his son Mahamat Déby took control of the military junta. Mr. Masra, a vocal critic of the Déby regime, was appointed prime minister last year but later ran against Mahamat Déby in a presidential election that was widely criticized as fraudulent.
Despite being declared the loser of that election, Mr. Masra continues to assert that he is the rightful victor, reflecting ongoing tensions in Chad's political landscape.