Chad Court Keeps Opposition Leader Succès Masra in Prison After Appeal Rejected

Chad’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed by former Prime Minister and opposition leader Succès Masra, ensuring that one of President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno’s most prominent critics will remain behind bars amid growing political tensions in the country.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday in the capital N’Djamena, upholds Masra’s 20-year prison sentence handed down in August 2025 on charges including inciting violence and complicity in murder. His legal team condemned the decision, arguing that the trial was politically motivated and ignored key legal arguments presented before the court.

“Despite all the legal arguments we presented before the higher court, it chose to reject the appeal,” Masra’s lawyer, Francis Kadjilembaye, told reporters after the hearing.

Masra, an economist and founder of the opposition party Les Transformateurs, emerged over recent years as one of Chad’s most influential opposition figures. After returning from exile, he briefly served as prime minister in 2024 before challenging Déby in the presidential election that same year. Official results gave Déby more than 61 percent of the vote, while Masra secured about 18 percent, though he disputed the outcome and claimed victory.

His arrest in May 2025 followed deadly intercommunal clashes in southern Chad that left dozens dead. Prosecutors accused him of inciting unrest through public statements and political messaging. Masra has repeatedly denied the allegations, insisting that the charges are part of a broader effort to silence dissent.

Human rights groups have also criticized the case. Human Rights Watch previously described the trial as politically driven and accused the Chadian government of using the judiciary to suppress opposition voices. The organization recently stated that Masra’s continued imprisonment reflects “government intolerance of dissent.”

Security was significantly tightened around the Supreme Court during the hearing, with police deployed heavily across the area and several journalists reportedly denied access to the courtroom. The atmosphere reflected growing concerns over political freedoms in Chad, where opposition parties and activists say restrictions on protests and public gatherings have intensified in recent months.

The court decision comes at a time of escalating pressure on opposition movements in the Central African nation. Earlier this month, eight opposition leaders linked to a dissolved coalition received prison sentences on charges including insurrection. Opposition supporters say the arrests and prosecutions are part of a wider crackdown aimed at consolidating Déby’s grip on power.

Supporters of Masra have continued demanding his release through demonstrations organized by Les Transformateurs. In April, hundreds rallied in N’Djamena, calling for what they described as justice and political freedom. Tensions surrounding the movement have occasionally turned deadly, including the shooting of one party member during a protest earlier this year.

The latest ruling is expected to deepen concerns among international observers about Chad’s democratic trajectory. Since taking power after the death of his father Idriss Déby in 2021, President Mahamat Déby has faced repeated criticism over restrictions on opposition activity and delays in democratic reform.