Former Chad Prime Minister and opposition leader Succes Masra has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after a court found him guilty of spreading racist and xenophobic messages that allegedly led to violence earlier this year.
The ruling was delivered in N’Djamena on Friday, according to Kadjilembaye Francis, one of Masra’s lawyers, who confirmed the verdict to Reuters on Saturday. In addition to the prison sentence, Masra was also ordered to pay a fine of 1 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.8 million USD).
Masra, a vocal critic of current President Mahamat Idriss Déby, briefly served as Prime Minister in Déby’s transitional government from January to May 2024. His appointment at the time was seen as a move to unite the opposition ahead of the national elections. However, Masra later resigned and ran against President Déby in the May 2024 presidential election, which he claimed was marred by irregularities.
In the same month as the election, deadly clashes broke out in Mandakao, a town in southern Chad, resulting in dozens of deaths. Following the violence, the Chadian public prosecutor opened an investigation, linking Masra’s public remarks and political activities to the unrest. He was later accused of inciting ethnic tensions and encouraging violence through inflammatory speeches and social media posts.
Masra, who has denied all the charges, was not present in court during the sentencing. His legal team has condemned the verdict as politically motivated and announced plans to appeal the conviction.
“This ruling is unjust and clearly aimed at silencing a strong voice of the opposition,” said lawyer Kadjilembaye Francis. “We will appeal and continue to fight for justice.”
President Mahamat Idriss Déby took over power in April 2021 following the sudden death of his father, longtime leader Idriss Déby Itno, during a battle with rebel forces. His rise to power was initially supported by the military and was supposed to lead to a short transitional period. However, the timeline for elections was extended, raising concerns among opposition groups and the international community about democratic backsliding.
The sentencing of Succes Masra adds to growing concerns about political repression in the country, especially as Chad tries to transition from military rule to full civilian democracy.
