Chadian authorities have detained Succès Masra, the former prime minister and leader of Chad’s main opposition party, Les Transformateurs. The arrest took place at his residence in N’Djamena on May 16, 2025. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about increasing harassment against political opponents in Chad.
“Succès Masra and his party, Les Transformateurs, have the right to express their opinions freely without fear of arrest,” stated Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Chadian authorities have instead used arrests and other forms of repression to clamp down on peaceful dissent time and time again.”
A witness reported that government security forces arrived just before 6 a.m. to detain Masra. Party members informed Human Rights Watch that he is being held by judicial police in N’Djamena with access to legal counsel.
Public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye explained that Masra’s arrest followed an intercommunal clash in Logone Occidental province on May 14, which resulted in 42 deaths. Authorities accuse Masra of inciting violence through social media posts related to this incident. However, Masra had expressed condolences for the victims, stating that “no Chadian’s life should be taken for granted.”
Intercommunal violence between herders and farmers has been escalating in southern Chad over recent years. This arrest follows previous threats faced by Masra and his supporters before the May 2024 elections when he ran against Gen. Mahamat Idriss Déby.
The Chadian government has shown resistance to debate or dissent under its current administration, often responding with force against opposition activities since the transitional period after President Idriss Déby Itno’s death in 2021.
In past incidents, security forces have used excessive measures such as live ammunition during protests post-2021 elections and during demonstrations on October 20, 2022. Hundreds were arrested during these events.
Dozens from Les Transformateurs were also detained ahead of a constitutional referendum allowing Mahamat Déby to run as a candidate in October 2023.
“The Chadian government should be seeking ways to dialogue with the political opposition rather than shutting them down through the use of intimidation and violence,” Mudge emphasized. “They should immediately release Masra if he is not charged with a valid offense.”
