Latest news with #SuccèsMasra
New York Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Opposition Leader Is Arrested in Chad, Accused of Inciting Violence
A major opposition leader and former prime minister of Chad was arrested early Friday, fueling fears of another crackdown on dissent in a country that has repeatedly used state power to silence critics. The politician, Succès Masra, was arrested on charges of incitement to hatred and revolt, complicity in murder and the desecration of graves, Chad's prosecutor, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, said, in connection with an outbreak of violence between communities this week that killed dozens of women and children. Civil society and political activists have recently faced imprisonment, torture, intimidation and death at the hands of Chad's security forces. Supporters of Mr. Masra, Chad's best-known opposition figure and leader of the Transformers political party, saw his arrest as a part of that pattern, and in hundreds of social media posts, they clamored for the government to let him go. 'We demand his unconditional release,' wrote one of them, Robine Zita, on his Facebook page. 'Rise up, Transformers, for the immediate liberation of our president,' wrote another, Sabine Denehybe. Parts of Africa have become increasingly tough places to be an opposition politician. On Tuesday, Mali's military junta announced it was dissolving all political parties in the country, and last month, one of its most vocal detractors was arrested after criticizing the country's military rulers. Also last month, Ivory Coast's main opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, was barred from running in the coastal country's upcoming presidential election over his French citizenship — despite having relinquished it in order to run. In Chad, a landlocked country in north-central Africa, Mr. Masra was taken from his residence by men in military uniforms at 5 a.m. local time, the secretary general of the Transformers said in a statement, calling the arrest an 'abduction' because no court summons was produced. Later, the party released another statement on its Facebook page, saying its leaders and Mr. Masra's lawyers had been able to see him, and calling on the party's supporters to stay calm and await instructions. The prosecutor, Mr. Kedelaye, linked Mr. Masra to a deadly attack this week on villagers in the southwest province of Logone Occidental, where there has been rising conflict between herders and farmers in recent years. At a news conference on Friday, Mr. Kedelaye said the opposition leader had broadcast messages on social networks 'calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens.' The prosecutor did not specify the inciting messages he accused Mr. Masra of sending, and a review of Mr. Masra's Facebook and X accounts did not find any. He did, however, express condolences for the bereaved families and said that the cause of the conflict in Logone Occidental was not clear. His post ended: 'The life of no Chadian should be trivialized.' Remadji Hoinathy, a senior researcher focused on Central Africa and the Lake Chad Basin at the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies, said that he would withhold judgment until the prosecutor presented any evidence it has against Mr. Masra. 'We're waiting to see it,' he said. But, he said, it was a complex situation, and Chad's government has a pattern of using the judicial apparatus against opponents. 'These events can't be separated from the government's desire to pressure and silence opponents who, until now, have stood up to it,' he added. A previous opposition leader, Yaya Dillo, said in 2021 that security forces had killed several members of his family in a failed attempt to arrest him. Mr. Dillo was killed in a gun battle last year with security forces at his party headquarters in the capital, N'Djamena. Later that year, the country's longtime dictator, Idriss Déby, was killed on the battlefield as government forces and a rebel group clashed in the north. His son, Mahamat Déby, seized power at the head of a military junta. Mr. Dillo was expected to run for president last year against the younger Mr. Déby. Mr. Masra was a fierce critic of the Déby dynasty, but last year, the president named him prime minister five months before a presidential election. Many Chadians accused him of deep betrayal when he joined the regime, but Mr. Masra then ran against the president who had appointed him. Mahamat Déby was declared the winner of that contest, but civil society groups dismissed it as a sham, and Mr. Masra claimed to be the rightful winner.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Chad's Succès Masra: Former prime minister arrested over alleged links to deadly clashes
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader, Succès Masra, has been arrested over alleged links to clashes which took place on Wednesday in the south west of the country, a public prosecutor has is suspected of spreading hateful messages on social media linked to the violence in which at least 42 people died, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye Transformers party said he had been "kidnapped" by military officers in the early hours of the morning" and denounced his detention, which it says was "carried out outside of any known judicial procedure".The government has not yet commented on Masra's arrest. Masra is a fierce critic of President Mahamat Déby and claimed to have defeated him in elections last said his victory had been stolen "from the people" although the official results said Déby had won with 61% of the vote. Wednesday's clashes broke out in the village of Mandakao, in Logone Occidental province near the Cameroonian border."Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," Mr Kedelaye said. It is not entirely clear what caused the violence, but one source told the AFP news agency that it is believed it was triggered by a land dispute between farmers from the Ngambaye community and Fulani herdsmen. There has been a troubling recent pattern of violence between local farmers and herders, with the farmers accusing the latter of grazing animals on their than 80 others have also been detained in connection with the briefly served as interim prime minister of the transitional government between January and May 2024. His party boycotted legislative polls last December due to concerns over the transparency of the electoral Déby family has ruled Chad for more than three military installed Déby as Chad's leader after his father, Idriss Déby Itno, was killed by rebels in 2021. Additional reporting by Chris Ewokor More BBC Africa articles about Chad: A quick guide to ChadWhy does France have military bases in Africa?Chad's military ruler wins presidential poll Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Chad opposition party says former prime minister Masra 'abducted' from his home
N'DJAMENA, Chad — Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra was taken into custody by security forces on Friday, in what his party called an 'abduction.' Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said Masra was arrested in connection with an intercommunal clash in Chad's southwest province of Logone Occidental that killed 42 people. Masra is accused of inciting hatred and violence through social media posts that called on the population to arm themselves against a community in the area, according to the prosecutor. It is unclear what specific posts the prosecutor was referring to. Clashes between herders and farmers, who accuse the herders of grazing livestock on their land, are common in the Central African country. Masra's Transformers party said in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' in his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil and political rights guaranteed by the constitution.' Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the party's vice president, released video appearing to show armed men in uniforms escorting Masra out of a residential building. Masra is one of the main opposition figures against President Mahamat Idriss Deby , who seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. In 2022, Masra fled Chad after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against Deby's decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as 'an attempted coup.' Following his return from exile he was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in a bid to appease tensions with the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Deby won the election, but the results were contested by the opposition which had claimed victory and alleged electoral fraud. Masra resigned from his role as prime minister shortly after the election. —————— Associated Press writer Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed to this report.
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Chad opposition party says former prime minister Masra 'abducted' from his home
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra was taken into custody by security forces on Friday, in what his party called an 'abduction.' Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said Masra was arrested in connection with an intercommunal clash in Chad's southwest province of Logone Occidental that killed 42 people. Masra is accused of inciting hatred and violence through social media posts that called on the population to arm themselves against a community in the area, according to the prosecutor. It is unclear what specific posts the prosecutor was referring to. Clashes between herders and farmers, who accuse the herders of grazing livestock on their land, are common in the Central African country. Masra's Transformers party said in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' in his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil and political rights guaranteed by the constitution.' Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the party's vice president, released video appearing to show armed men in uniforms escorting Masra out of a residential building. Masra is one of the main opposition figures against President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. In 2022, Masra fled Chad after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against Deby's decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as 'an attempted coup.' Following his return from exile he was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in a bid to appease tensions with the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Deby won the election, but the results were contested by the opposition which had claimed victory and alleged electoral fraud. Masra resigned from his role as prime minister shortly after the election. —————— Associated Press writer Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed to this report.
