A full year has now passed since Chadian authorities apprehended and subsequently convicted Succès Masra, a prominent opposition figure and former Prime Minister. His continued incarceration, based on what appear to be politically motivated charges, starkly illustrates the government’s diminishing tolerance for any form of dissent.
Masra, who leads the opposition party Les Transformateurs, was taken into custody from his N’Djamena residence in the early hours of May 16, 2025. He faced accusations of inciting hatred and rebellion through social media posts. These charges followed deadly intercommunal clashes on May 14 in Logone Occidental province, which claimed dozens of lives. Following these tragic events, Masra had used social media to extend his condolences to the victims, asserting that « the life of no Chadian should be trivialized ».
By August 2025, a Chadian court had found the opposition leader guilty of « spreading hateful and xenophobic messages » and « complicity in murder, » imposing a 20-year prison sentence. Succès Masra, who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, stood trial alongside dozens of co-defendants, most of whom also received identical 20-year prison terms. The court further levied substantial fines against all the accused.
Following the verdict, Masra’s legal team promptly filed an appeal, which currently remains pending.
While conflicts between pastoralist and farming communities are a recurring issue in southern Chad, Masra’s arrest appears to be part of a broader trend of diminishing political freedoms. Ahead of the May 2024 presidential election, where he challenged the then-transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby, Succès Masra and his supporters faced threats and arbitrary detentions. Furthermore, a prominent opposition figure was tragically assassinated leading up to that election, with no subsequent accountability or justice.
Following the electoral process, Succès Masra publicly alleged that the ballot had been rigged.
Security forces have also resorted to excessive force against demonstrators, particularly during the 2021 and 2022 protests, which resulted in dozens of fatalities and injuries. Hundreds were arbitrarily detained, with some reportedly enduring ill-treatment. More recently, on May 8, 2026, eight other opposition leaders received eight-year prison sentences for « rebellion » and « insurrectionary movement, » following their attempt to organize a banned pro-democracy demonstration.
With a full year now elapsed since Succès Masra’s arrest, the Supreme Court of Chad is expected to hear his appeal.
Regional stakeholders, especially the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), who have so far largely failed to safeguard democratic principles in Chad, bear a significant responsibility. They ought to exert pressure on Chadian authorities to reinstate political rights and honor previous commitments, such as the Kinshasa Accord, which was designed to ensure the security of political activities for opposition parties, including Masra’s.