Succès Masra, leader of Chad’s opposition party Les Transformateurs, has been placed in pre-trial detention following his May 16 arrest in connection with violent clashes in Mandakao that left at least 40 people dead. The incident, which took place on May 14, has triggered renewed political tension just weeks after a period of apparent reconciliation between Masra and President Mahamat Idriss Déby.
Masra was detained at dawn at his residence in N’Djamena by security forces—before a formal complaint was filed, his legal team claims. The arrest followed an indictment for incitement to violence, allegedly linked to a 2023 audio recording titled Citizens’ Arms Against Terrorists. The recording, circulated during a period of heightened insurgent threats near the Central African Republic border, had previously been the basis of an international arrest warrant, which was dropped under the Toumaï Agreement for Stability and Development—a national peace accord.
Masra’s lawyers argue that the charges are politically motivated and that the case relies on recycled allegations already resolved through diplomatic channels. They further criticized the government’s use of force, stating that over 100 military vehicles were deployed during his remand hearing—describing it as an excessive show of intimidation. “This is a violation of due process and an act of political repression,” said Masra’s lead counsel. The legal team plans to seek provisional release for Masra once he is formally heard, but acknowledged that the investigation could drag on for up to a year under Chadian law.
The case comes at a delicate political moment, just weeks after Masra had begun re-engagement talks with the Déby government, following years of political exclusion. Masra served briefly as Prime Minister of the transitional government earlier in 2024 before stepping down and returning to opposition politics. Observers say the arrest could further strain Chad’s fragile political transition, as the country prepares for a full return to civilian rule following the 2021 death of long-time ruler Idriss Déby Itno, and the rise of his son Mahamat Idriss Déby through a military takeover.
