Chad's President Mahamat Déby has granted a pardon to his key political opponent and former Prime Minister Succès Masra, who was serving a 20-year jail term. This move clears the way for Masra’s release from prison.
Masra, a vocal critic of Déby, had claimed victory over the president in the 2024 elections. His arrest last May followed allegations of involvement in a violent clash in the country's south-west, where authorities reported at least 42 fatalities. He was accused of spreading inflammatory content on social media linked to the unrest.
The presidential pardon, announced shortly after Déby pledged to free various inmates to promote peace and reconciliation, does not equate to an amnesty. This means that Masra and eight other political figures, all members of the Group for the Coordination of Political Actors (GCAP), remain liable to prosecution despite their release.
The other pardoned individuals had been serving eight-year sentences after their April arrest for organising a banned protest. The presidency described all nine as wielding power yet acting outside the bounds of justice.
Additionally, a separate decree granted partial sentence reductions to several detainees nationwide.
Following the pardon announcement, Masra’s Transformers Party hailed the development as the start of "a new page" and called for collective effort moving forward. The opposition RNDT-Le Réveil party also welcomed the move, urging the government to pursue inclusive dialogue for the country's benefit.
Masra briefly held the position of interim prime minister in Chad’s transitional government from January to May 2024. His party boycotted the December 2024 legislative elections, citing concerns over electoral transparency.
The Déby family has dominated Chad’s leadership for over 30 years, with Mahamat Déby assuming power after his father, Idriss Déby Itno, was killed by rebels in 2021.
