Demonstrators in Paris, France wave Chadian flags during a rally calling for the release of Succès Masra, May 31, 2025.
(New York) – The Chadian authorities should vacate or set aside the conviction of Succès Masra, the former Chadian prime minister and main opposition leader, Human Rights Watch said today. Masra was released from prison on August 15, 2026, after receiving a presidential pardon.
His pardon and those of eight other political opponents led to their release from prison. However, their convictions for conduct that was legitimate political expression still stand and need to be set aside so they can continue to participate in politics.
“The release of Masra and other political opponents is good news,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “But to be clear, Masra was arrested on trumped-up charges in an attempt to silence him. The Chadian authorities should go beyond the presidential pardon and ensure that his conviction is set aside.”
Masra, who served as Chad’s prime minister from January to May 2024, was arrested on May 16, 2025, after running against then-transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby in the 2024 presidential election. Prosecutors accused him of inciting hatred and violence following the deaths of 42 people in intercommunal clashes on May 14 in Mandakao, Logone Occidental province, in the country’s southwest.
While clashes between herders and farmers are common in southern Chad, intercommunal violence has become more acute over the past several years, resulting in scores of deaths. Masra was charged with inciting hatred and violence through social media posts. Following the Logone Occidental violence, Masra had expressed condolences to the victims, stating that “no Chadian’s life should be taken for granted.”
Masra, who pleaded not guilty, was tried alongside 74 co-defendants, all accused of collab
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