In Chad, opposition figure Succès Masra has now spent a year incarcerated. Following his arrest, the former Prime Minister received a twenty-year prison sentence. This conviction stemmed from a message he disseminated in 2023, which, according to the court, allegedly incited severe inter-community violence in southern Chad two years later. As the head of his political party, Les Transformateurs, Succès Masra officially secured the second position in the 2024 presidential election, garnering 18% of the votes. Over the past year, numerous voices have advocated for his cause, including his sister, Chancelle Masra, who resides in France.
Have you received any updates regarding your brother?
Chancelle Masra: I have indeed received news. He remains unjustly confined and continues to suffer. This has been officially acknowledged. He requires medical attention that is simply not available within Chad’s healthcare system. He is still imprisoned, with no evidence or testimony presented against him. It is unequivocally an injustice.
Reports indicate he is suffering from respiratory issues.
Precisely. This information comes from medical professionals, not merely my personal observation as his sister. He needs further diagnostic tests that cannot be performed within Chad.
Do you know his current place of detention in N’Djaména?
He is held in a military-controlled facility, confined to a room less than fifteen square meters, where he has not seen daylight since May 16, 2025.
Is he still at an office of the judicial police coordination?
Exactly. He remains in the same location, without a bed, without dignified conditions, no opportunity for exercise, and no natural light. Still confined there.
Can he receive visitors?
We fought for a long time to ensure he could exercise his right to see his doctors, which was initially denied. Similarly, we pushed for visits from his lawyers, a fundamental right. My mother is also permitted to visit him occasionally.
Has he been able to receive all these visits?
Yes, he has. For family visits, authorization is required each time, and his lawyers visit regularly.
And he was able to see his mother?
He was able to see her.
Does he have telephone contact with other individuals?
Absolutely not. All his electronic devices, including his computer and phone, have been confiscated. He has no means whatsoever to make telephone contact, neither with his daughter, his wife, nor myself, his sister.
Some in N’Djaména suggest he might have received a visit or a call from a Chadian political authority. Have you heard anything about this?
Honestly, I have not heard any such reports.
So, no contact with the government?
Not to my knowledge, at least.
Regarding his legal standing, Succès Masra was sentenced last August to 20 years in prison for inciting hatred and violence, following deadly clashes between two communities in southern Chad’s Logone Occidental region. What is the current status of his situation?
One thing is certain: we are discussing an innocent man. Legally speaking, the case file is empty. There are no facts, no evidence, and no testimony to substantiate any involvement from someone who – I must reiterate – has advocated solely for dialogue since founding his political party in 2018, never violence towards anyone. You have witnessed all the peaceful demonstrations he organized since 2018. He is also someone who, in a tense environment, agreed to sign a peace and dialogue accord with the government in 2023. He even accepted the role of Prime Minister without taking a single franc, having renounced his entire salary. This demonstrates a profound self-sacrifice for progress, aiming for Chad to stand firmly on both its developmental and security pillars, as he often says, to advance the nation. Succès Masra is not an individual who would incite hatred. He has consistently proven himself to be a peaceful person. Imprisoning a non-violent individual will absolutely not resolve societal tensions.
Your brother maintains his innocence, but has he appealed?
He has filed an appeal.
Is there any information on when the appeal trial will take place?
Precisely, we have no idea whatsoever. No feedback. Complete radio silence. Imprisoning an innocent person without evidence for such a long time and depriving him of his freedom is simply unacceptable. I am grateful to the European Union for speaking out on this matter, reminding everyone of the need to uphold existing rights in Chad.
For the eighth anniversary of Les Transformateurs party, your brother conveyed a message to President Mahamat Idriss Déby, requesting that a judicial error be rectified.
Everyone recognizes this as a judicial error. In my brother’s good faith, we want to believe it is an error that should be corrected. In a country that claims to be democratic, judicial sovereignty is fundamental. We must not exploit the justice system to settle scores with peaceful, non-violent opponents. This is crucial. Beyond our family, the stakes of Succès Masra’s liberation extend far beyond his individual person and our personal feelings as a family.
In recent days, the political climate in Chad has again become strained with the eight GCAP opposition members being sentenced to eight years in prison for failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision to dissolve their party. Does this situation concern you?
As a young person, this situation deeply concerns me regarding the state of democracy. We observe that the political climate in Chad is deteriorating day by day. If opposition members cannot express themselves, then we are simply not living in a democracy. I wish that all opposition figures could also voice their opinions on the situation, without facing conviction simply for organizing a peaceful march.
Chad’s Minister of Communication, Gassim Cherif Mahamat, asserts that the opposition does have the right to express itself, citing its representation in the National Assembly and the Senate as proof. He adds that if opponents are imprisoned, it is because they have not respected the law.
You know, I am passionate about geopolitics. Please invite me again, and I would be delighted to discuss such topics with you. But today, I am here specifically to address my brother’s case, who is imprisoned in Chad.
There have been defections within your brother’s party, Les Transformateurs, with former Vice-President Sitack Yombatina becoming Minister of Higher Education and former number two Moustapha Masri becoming Secretary-General of the Presidency. Doesn’t all this discourage your brother, seeing his party weaken?
He absolutely does not perceive his party as weakening. You mention two names out of thousands of “Transformers” found worldwide, across the diaspora. You know, when he was Prime Minister, many Chadians globally decided to return to Chad to help build the country. This is a concrete example to illustrate that people trust him to build the nation. The departure of two individuals for their own personal reasons does not mean Succès Masra believes his party is weakening; quite the opposite. Not at all.
For your brother’s release, you are relying heavily on international mobilization. But frankly, is the international community truly stepping up?
Without hesitation, I would say yes. My entire family and I have felt immense solidarity. Those who cannot speak out officially have still met with us. This includes my brother’s influential friends across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States, as well as international organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and ACAT France. I am profoundly grateful for this mobilization, because, between us, I am convinced it has also kept my brother alive. I am fortunate to be in France today, where I can speak freely and enjoy my freedom of expression. However, it would be beneficial if, in other countries, particularly in Africa and Chad, others could also enjoy this freedom of expression, which is currently suppressed.
This is not the first time your brother has faced Chadian justice. After “Black Thursday” on October 20, 2022, he had to flee abroad. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi mediated his return to Chad a year later. Have there been any new mediations from African heads of state recently?
To be honest with you, I am not involved in politics. I am here as a sister. Therefore, I cannot comment on that, as I simply do not have visibility into such matters. If there are mediations, they are happening on the diplomatic front. However, one thing I do know is that Mr. Mahamat Idriss Déby was received at the Élysée on January 29, 2026. This diplomatic channel – which was severed between 2024 and 2026 – has been re-established. I would urge everyone to take responsibility. The fight against terrorism should not be an excuse to abandon the defense of innocent individuals, the right to freedom of expression, and the respect for human rights. This is paramount.