Authoritarian Regimes & Africa

Chadian supreme court upholds succ_s masra’s 20-year sentence Chad’s highest judicial authority, the Supreme Court, confirmed on Thursday, May 21, the 20-year prison sentence against former Prime Minister and leader of the Les Transformateurs party, Succès Masra. The court dismissed his final appeal, solidifying the verdict and immediately eliciting a wave of strong disapproval and […]

On “L’Arbre à Palabres”, political analysts convened to discuss the recent arrests of opposition figures across Chad. In Chad, opposition leader Succès Masra remains incarcerated after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal on Thursday. The former Prime Minister, apprehended in May 2025, received a twenty-year prison sentence for “dissemination of hateful and xenophobic messages” and […]

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has unequivocally dismissed any attempts to challenge the nation’s recently enacted legislation, which imposes stricter penalties for homosexual relations. During an address to parliamentarians on Friday, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko sharply criticized what he termed “Western tyranny,” alleging an agenda to “impose homosexuality on the rest of the world.” […]

The Bamako junta faces a strategic vacuum Mali is no longer merely a nation in distress; it has evolved into a critical flashpoint for the entire Sahel region. The combined pressures of jihadist groups, Tuareg separatist militias, deeply entrenched ethnic rivalries, a collapsing economy, and increasing military reliance on Moscow are transforming Mali’s inherent state […]

Families of individuals who have vanished are voicing profound apprehension, urgently seeking information on the whereabouts, conditions, and legal status of their loved ones. They primarily demand that if any offenses are alleged, these cases be promptly referred to the judiciary. However, those supporting Mali’s transitional authorities contend that the paramount interest of the state […]

Antoine Zogonimbou and Mboliloungoule, two individuals reportedly abducted from Zemio, have been subjected to severe treatment, including alleged torture in Berengo. These distressing events culminate in their current detention within gendarmerie cells located in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. Accounts indicate that the apprehension and subsequent transfer of Zogonimbou and Mboliloungoule were […]

After inviting Russian mercenaries to Mali in 2021, the nation’s ruling junta initially focused its efforts on containing Tuareg rebels in the northern regions. However, this strategic decision inadvertently allowed terrorist organizations, specifically the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), to significantly expand their […]

Reports from the Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture in the Central African Republic indicate a troubling shift in ongoing security operations. What began as a joint effort involving Russian mercenaries and the Forces Armées Centrafricaines (FACA) in the Ndele area has reportedly transformed into widespread cattle rustling, severely impacting local herders. escalating concerns for herders in ndele Initially […]

The Sahel region continues to grapple with persistent security challenges, a reality underscored by the protracted conflict between the Chadian forces, led by President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, and the extremist group Boko Haram, under the command of Bakura Doro. This enduring confrontation has evolved into a relentless war of attrition, demanding significant resources and […]

Partager Écouter On a bustling street in Dakar, “K.” appears indistinguishable from any other pedestrian. He moves with purpose, phone in hand, exchanging greetings with acquaintances. Outwardly, nothing seems amiss. Yet, every action is carefully considered. “Here, you must know how to protect yourself,” he confides. A French national among those detained While his incarceration […]