Chad Opposition Leader Succès Masra Sentenced to 20 Years Amid Allegations of Politically Motivated Trial

A Chadian court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to Succès Masra, leader of the country’s main opposition party and former prime minister, in what human rights groups are calling a politically motivated trial designed to silence dissent.

Masra, a vocal critic of President Mahamat Idriss Déby, was convicted on August 9, 2025, of spreading racist and xenophobic messages and complicity in murder linked to deadly intercommunal clashes. The trial, which concluded in the capital Ndjamena, also resulted in heavy sentences for dozens of his co-defendants.

Human Rights Watch condemned the ruling, warning that it reflected the government’s growing intolerance of opposition voices. “The sentence given to Succès Masra sends a chilling message to critics and demonstrates the Chadian government’s intolerance of criticism and political opposition parties,” said Lewis Mudge, the organization’s Central Africa director.

Violence and Arrest
Masra was arrested on May 16, just two days after violent clashes between herders and farmers in Mandakao, in the Logone Occidental province, left 42 people dead. Authorities accused him of inciting hatred through social media posts that allegedly fueled the violence.

He stood trial alongside 74 co-defendants charged with involvement in the killings. While at least nine were acquitted, the remaining defendants received sentences mirroring Masra’s — 20 years in prison and a fine of 1 billion CFA francs (about US$1.8 million). Masra’s lawyers have vowed to appeal the verdict before the Supreme Court.

A Shrinking Political Space
The conviction comes against the backdrop of a rapidly closing political space in Chad. Masra, who ran against Déby in the May 2024 presidential elections, has long been a target of harassment and intimidation. The campaign period was marked by violence and threats against opposition parties, including The Transformers (Les Transformateurs), which Masra founded.

In February 2024, government forces stormed the headquarters of the Socialist Party Without Borders, killing its leader, Yaya Dillo, in an incident that remains shrouded in mystery. Authorities have yet to provide clarity over his death.

Since 2021, Chad has witnessed repeated crackdowns on dissent. Security forces have dispersed demonstrations with live ammunition, beaten journalists, and detained opposition figures. A particularly bloody episode unfolded on October 20, 2022, when protests marking the delayed transition to civilian rule were met with gunfire, leaving scores dead and many others imprisoned under harsh conditions at the remote Koro Toro prison.

Exile and Return
Masra himself fled Chad in the aftermath of the 2022 crackdown but returned in early 2024 following mediation efforts led by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, acting as facilitator for the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

The resulting Kinshasa Accord allowed for Masra’s safe return, suspended an outstanding arrest warrant, and guaranteed his party the right to operate freely. Upon his return, Masra accepted the role of prime minister but resigned just months later, alleging that the presidential election was fraudulent.

Regional Concerns
Observers warn that Masra’s conviction undermines both the Kinshasa Accord and broader efforts to restore democratic governance in Chad. Human Rights Watch urged regional actors, including President Tshisekedi and ECCAS, to press Déby’s government to honor its commitments.

“Masra’s conviction has upended hopes for a meaningful political opposition and an independent judiciary in Chad,” Mudge said. “Chad’s regional and international supporters should denounce this politically motivated judgment and urge the country’s leaders to make good on promises for democratic reform.”

The ruling represents a significant blow to opposition politics in Chad and raises fresh concerns over the country’s fragile democratic transition, more than four years after the death of longtime leader Idriss Déby Itno and the military’s subsequent seizure of power.