During a press briefing held this Wednesday, May 13, at its headquarters in Bololo, N’Djamena’s 2nd arrondissement, the political party Les Patriotes delivered a scathing indictment of the nation’s escalating political and security crisis. Hisseine Abdoulaye, the party’s spokesperson, described the situation as « a chaotic politico-security landscape » and condemned the « unjust » sentencing of eight opposition leaders from the former Groupe de concertation des acteurs politiques (GCAP).
The party highlighted Chad’s deepening instability, citing a surge in Boko Haram attacks in the Lake Chad region and a wave of intercommunal clashes in the east and south. Recent military operations in Barka Tolorom and Kaïga Kindjiria reportedly resulted in 23 soldier fatalities, while tribal violence in Wadi Fira, fueled by arms trafficking from Sudan, has claimed over 40 lives.
Political repression and judicial overreach
Les Patriotes condemned what it termed a systematic crackdown on dissent, pointing to the « assassination » of Yaya Dillo, the imprisonment of Succès Masra, and the Supreme Court’s dissolution of the GCAP. The party further accused authorities of restricting civil liberties and targeting media outlets.
The eight opposition leaders, including Nassour Ibrahim Koursami—head of Les Patriotes—were sentenced to eight years in prison on April 25 following arrests at the PAP/JS headquarters without warrants, according to party claims. Charges of illegal assembly, criminal conspiracy, insurrection, rebellion, and unauthorized weapons possession were dismissed as baseless by the party, which alleged a politically motivated trial orchestrated by the prosecutor, the Minister of Territorial Administration, and the Supreme Court president.
A call for urgent action
Les Patriotes demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the condemned leaders and urged the international community to scrutinize the case. Hisseine Abdoulaye concluded with an impassioned plea for public mobilization, declaring, « We must end this political charade and restore democracy. » Echoing George Orwell’s words, he warned, « Tyranny fears the truth, for truth does not obey. »