Chad: Anti-succession protest killings must be investigated

Protests against ‘succession’ of President Idriss Déby’s son Mahamat after leader’s death last week

Civil society organisations and opposition parties call for further protests

‘No one should face arrest for simply exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression’ - Marceau Sivieude

Following the deaths of at least five protesters in Chad yesterday - with many others injured and arrested - Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa Deputy Director, said:

“These deadly protests have erupted because the succession of Mahamat Idriss Déby is considered an ‘institutional coup’ and ‘dynastic succession’ - the people demand civilian rule. “No one should face arrest for simply exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and all those detained for that reason should be immediately and unconditionally released. “We urge the authorities to justice anyone suspected to be responsible of unlawful killing.”

Earlier this year, Amnesty documented how the authorities in Chad have repeatedly banned demonstrations and carried out arbitrary arrests.

Amnesty’s annual report 2020/21: The State of the World’s Human Rights paints a dismal picture of human rights violations in Chad from arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force, freedom of expression and abuses by armed groups.