The former prime minister and president of Les Transformateurs was apprehended on charges of inciting hatred, following severe intercommunal violence in southern Chad. In August 2025, he received a 20-year prison sentence.

For the leadership and activists of Les Transformateurs, this Saturday, May 16, marks a somber anniversary. It was on this date a year ago that their influential leader, Succès Masra, was taken from his home in the early morning hours.

Despite their leader’s year-long detention, the party maintains a reassuring stance, as articulated by its Secretary-General, Doctor Tog-Yeum Nagorngar.

“President Succès Masra, though imprisoned, remains a strong presence among us. The party is thriving and continues to pursue its objectives without distraction. Doctor Succès Masra has committed no act warranting his year-long imprisonment. There has been no verifiable evidence presented for the accusations against him. We firmly believe this is an administrative and judicial error. The only individual who can rectify this mistake is Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. We earnestly hope he will fulfill his responsibilities.”

Numerous opposition figures detained

Just last week, eight other leaders from opposition parties, all members of the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), received 8-year prison sentences. Their charges included “criminal association, insurrectionary movements, rebellion, and possession of war weapons,” stemming from their plans for a peaceful protest. Sosthène Mbernodji, coordinator of the Citizen Movement for the Preservation of Liberties (MCPL), expressed his deep regret over these arrests, asserting that genuine political opposition in Chad has been effectively dismantled.

“Since their leader was jailed a year ago, Les Transformateurs’ ability to operate has been significantly curtailed. Furthermore, the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP) was the last remaining coalition offering an alternative viewpoint. Now, the government has weaponized the judiciary to dissolve this group and silence its eight leading members. I believe we are no longer in a democracy; instead, a monarchy is gradually solidifying its power in Chad, which is truly regrettable. It is imperative to de-escalate the social and political tensions to allow for progress. At this juncture, the country has regressed by almost 40 to 50 years, returning to a single-party system reminiscent of the post-independence era.”

In response to this wave of arrests and convictions, approximately twenty opposition parties collectively issued a press release, condemning the suppression of dissenting voices and the perceived manipulation of the justice system.