Former Chad Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Succes Masra Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Over Hate Speech and Violence Charges

Chad’s former prime minister and prominent opposition leader, Succes Masra, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence after a court in the capital, N’Djamena, found him guilty of disseminating racist and xenophobic messages that allegedly incited violence. The ruling, delivered on Saturday, has sparked outrage among his supporters and raised concerns over political freedoms in the central African nation.

Defence lawyer Kadjilembay Francis condemned the verdict, describing it as “ignominy and unworthy humiliation,” and confirmed that Masra would appeal. Masra, leader of the Transformers party and a vocal critic of President Mahamat Deby, served as prime minister from January to May last year before returning to opposition politics. He was tried alongside 67 co-defendants, mostly from the Ngambaye ethnic group, accused of triggering deadly clashes in May in Logone Occidental, southwest Chad. The violent confrontation between herders and farmers left 35 people dead and six injured.

Prosecutors alleged that Masra’s public statements amounted to hate speech, xenophobia, and incitement to massacre, charges he firmly denies. Addressing supporters before leaving the courtroom, Masra urged them to “stand firm,” while activists from his party promised to issue a “special message” later in the day.

The case has drawn attention to long-standing ethnic and political divisions in Chad. The Ngambaye ethnic group, widely supported in the predominantly Christian and animist south, has long complained of marginalisation by the Muslim-dominated authorities in N’Djamena. This deep-rooted tension has repeatedly fueled political unrest and sporadic violence.

Masra’s political journey has been marked by both defiance and controversy. He fled Chad in 2022 following a deadly crackdown on his supporters, only to return under a political amnesty in 2024. That same year, he ran against Deby in the presidential election, where the incumbent claimed victory with more than 61% of the vote.

This latest sentencing comes at a time when Chad is grappling with internal instability, questions over the fairness of its judicial system, and accusations of political persecution. For Masra’s supporters, his imprisonment is seen as yet another attempt to silence dissent in a country where opposition voices have faced increasing pressure under Deby’s leadership.