Chad: Political Opponents Freed

What the report says

Human Rights Watch said Chadian authorities should overturn the conviction of Succès Masra, the former prime minister and leading opposition figure, after his release from prison on August 15, 2026. Masra and eight other political opponents were freed following presidential pardons, but their convictions and related financial penalties remain in place, limiting their ability to return fully to political life.

According to the report published through AllAfrica, Masra had served as prime minister from January to May 2024 and was later arrested in May 2025 after running against transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby in the 2024 election. Prosecutors accused him of inciting hatred and violence in connection with deadly intercommunal clashes in southern Chad. Human Rights Watch argued that the case was politically motivated and that the charges lacked a credible basis. Masra was tried with dozens of co-defendants, many of whom remain imprisoned.

The article said the pardons also covered eight leaders from Chad’s main opposition coalition, the Political Actors’ Consultation Group, or GCAP. Their prison terms had followed convictions related to a planned protest march. Human Rights Watch said the government should go beyond pardon and formally set aside the convictions so the individuals can participate in politics without criminal records or fines.

The broader context is Chad’s tense political environment since the death of former president Idriss Déby Itno in 2021 and the transition that followed. Human Rights Watch described past crackdowns on protests, opposition activity and freedom of expression as part of a wider pattern of repression.