Succes Masra pardon leaves conviction intact

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby pardoned jailed former prime minister Succes Masra and eight other opposition leaders on Friday, but the pardon leaves their convictions and election ineligibility in place.

A decree published by the presidency said the pardon gives a full remission of custodial sentences for the convicted. Because it is a pardon rather than an amnesty, the opposition figures regain their freedom but keep their criminal records, civil and financial penalties and cannot stand in elections.

Masra, 42, leads the main opposition party, The Transformers. He was sentenced a year ago to 20 years in prison after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and inciting a massacre. Human Rights Watch called the trial politically motivated.

The eight other pardoned leaders belonged to the Political Actors' Consultation Group, the main opposition coalition, which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in April. They were jailed in May for eight years after being found guilty of inciting an insurrection while organising a banned demonstration.

Hissein Abdoulaye, a GCAP spokesman, criticised what he called "democratic regression" and said political leaders had been convicted on fabricated charges before being pardoned while losing civil and political rights.

Ndolembai Sade Njesada, vice president of The Transformers party, said Deby had chosen to move forward in a spirit of national unity and said the party hoped to sit down for talks to advance peace. Deby's Patriotic Salvation Movement also welcomed the development.

Deby has led Chad since 2021, after taking charge of a military transition following the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno. He was elected president in 2024 with just over 60 percent of the vote in a contested ballot boycotted by most opposition parties. Masra came second with nearly a fifth of the vote and claimed victory.