The former Prime Minister and leader of Les Transformateurs party, Succès Masra, received a 20-year prison sentence in August 2025. His arrest stemmed from charges of inciting hatred, which authorities linked to inter-communal unrest in the southern regions of the nation.

For the dedicated members and leadership of Les Transformateurs, this Saturday, May 16th, signifies a somber milestone. It commemorates the morning one year ago when their esteemed leader, Succès Masra, was taken from his home.

Despite their leader’s year-long incarceration, the party maintains a resilient stance, as articulated by its Secretary General, Dr. Tog-Yeum Nagorngar. He asserts that Succès Masra, though physically confined, remains a guiding presence for the movement.

Dr. Nagorngar emphasized, “President Succès Masra, despite being imprisoned, is not absent from our midst. In fact, the party is thriving and remains focused on its objectives, refusing to be sidetracked. Dr. Succès Masra has committed no act warranting a year in prison. No evidence has been presented to substantiate the charges against him. We remain convinced this is an administrative and judicial misstep. Today, only Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno holds the power to rectify this error, and we trust he will fulfill his responsibilities.”

a broader crackdown on chadian opposition

Just last week, eight additional opposition party leaders, all members of the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), received severe sentences. They were handed 8-year prison terms for “criminal association, insurrectional movements, rebellion, and possession of war weapons,” following their arrest for organizing a planned peaceful protest. Sosthène Mbernodji, coordinator of the Citizen Movement for the Preservation of Liberties (MCPL), expressed deep concern over these detentions, lamenting the effective disappearance of political opposition within Chad.