Chad’s former Prime Minister appeals to Macron after two months in detention
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Chadian opposition leader Succès Masra is facing pre-trial detention over charges his team says are politically driven.
Chad’s Former PM Succès Masra Appeals to Macron Over ‘Politically Motivated’ Detention
Lawyers urge French president to intervene as opposition leader remains jailed over deadly massacre allegations
N’Djamena, Chad – Chad’s former Prime Minister and opposition leader Succès Masra has appealed directly to French President Emmanuel Macron for support, as he enters his third month in pre-trial detention over what his legal team says are politically motivated charges.
Masra, who leads the opposition Transformers party, is accused of orchestrating the massacre of 42 herders in Mandakao, a southern town, in May 2025 — allegations he has strongly denied.
His legal team has written a formal letter to President Macron, urging him to break his silence and intervene diplomatically. The lawyers accuse the Chadian judiciary of acting under pressure from the ruling regime, and say Macron’s voice is crucial in pushing for Masra’s release and ensuring due process is respected.
“The Chadian government is using the justice system to eliminate its most prominent opposition voice,” the lawyers wrote, accusing the authorities of weaponizing an old audio clip against Masra.
Evidence Questioned
The only cited evidence in the case is a 2023 audio recording in which Masra called on communities in the south to “defend themselves” — a statement made well before the Mandakao killings. His legal team says this contextually irrelevant clip is being misused to justify detention.
Radio France Internationale reported that the investigating judge was allegedly pressured by top officials to move forward with the charges — a claim that raises further questions about the independence of Chad’s judiciary.
Masra’s lawyers argue that the prosecution violates his fundamental rights, and they have lost confidence in the national legal process. The team is now looking to international allies, particularly France, to intervene in what they call a clear case of political persecution.
A Longtime Critic of the Regime
Succès Masra has been a vocal opponent of Chad’s transitional government, accusing it of clinging to power and suppressing democratic freedoms. His party has consistently called for free and fair elections and greater civilian oversight in a country where military influence remains dominant.
His detention comes at a critical time for Chad, as it continues to navigate a fragile political transition following years of instability and the 2021 death of longtime ruler Idriss Déby.
President Macron has so far not commented publicly on the case.
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