Chadian Opposition Leader and Former Prime Minister Succès Masra Sentenced to 20 Years
A Chadian criminal court has sentenced Succès Masra, the country's former Prime Minister and a leading opposition figure, to 20 years in prison. The verdict, delivered on August 9, 2025, found him guilty of charges including inciting public hatred, xenophobia, and complicity in murder, which were linked to deadly inter-communal clashes that occurred in May. In addition to the prison term, Masra was ordered to pay a fine of 1 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.8 million).
Human Rights Watch and other international observers have swiftly condemned the sentence, describing the trial as a politically motivated effort to silence dissent. Masra, who leads the opposition party Les Transformateurs (The Transformers), has denied all charges. His lawyers contend that the prosecution failed to provide any concrete evidence to connect him to the violence and have announced their intention to appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.
The conviction follows Masra's brief tenure as Prime Minister, a role he accepted after returning from exile under a reconciliation agreement. He later resigned to challenge President Mahamat Idriss Déby in the recent presidential election. The sentencing is widely seen as a significant setback for the political opposition in Chad.
