Following the harsh eight-year prison sentences handed down to eight Chadian opposition leaders, Alifa Younous Mahamat, coordinator of the Parti Socialiste sans Frontières (PSF) in France and Europe, has accused the regime of President Mahamat Idriss Déby of systematically silencing political opposition.

Listen to Alifa Younous Mahamat’s statement

Political justice weaponized against dissent

Eight leaders from opposition parties within the GCAP (Groupe de Concertation des Acteurs Politiques), the main opposition coalition in Chad, were sentenced to eight years in prison in N’Djamena. Responding to this verdict, Alifa Younous Mahamat condemned the arrests and sentences as “blatant violations of justice”. He stated, “This case confirms Chad’s dangerous slide into dictatorship, where fear and repression impose a single narrative.” The activists had been arrested just days before a planned protest march, which authorities had banned.

Systematic silencing of dissent

According to the PSF coordinator, the imprisonment of GCAP leaders is part of a broader strategy to eliminate credible opposition. “Every dissenting voice is systematically and completely crushed,” he declared, describing a political climate that grows increasingly restrictive. He emphasized the severe limitations on fundamental freedoms in Chad today: “It is impossible for a credible opposition party to exercise its right to free expression, organize, or assemble.”

This latest condemnation follows the imprisonment of Succès Masra, a prominent opposition figure and former Prime Minister, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison nearly a year ago.

Chadian diaspora amplifies opposition calls

From France and Europe, the Chadian diaspora is working to keep international attention focused on the political crisis in Chad. “We are the voice of those who cannot speak out,” said Alifa Younous Mahamat, who has been engaging with international institutions and human rights organizations. “We demand a firm response from the international community,” he insisted.

Leveraging international alliances

The PSF coordinator also revealed that he has met with French political leaders to raise awareness about the situation in Chad. “We have met with French deputies and senators,” he explained, noting particularly productive exchanges with members of La France Insoumise, including their leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. For the exiled Chadian opposition, international mobilization has become a crucial tool in countering the increasing authoritarianism of Mahamat Idriss Déby’s government.