Following the recent eight-year prison sentences handed to eight Chadian opposition figures, Alifa Younous Mahamat, coordinator of the Parti socialiste sans frontières (PSF) in France and Europe, has accused the regime of Mahamat Idriss Déby of suppressing political dissent.

Listen to Alifa Younous Mahamat’s statement

Political justice weaponized against opponents

Eight leaders of opposition parties within the Groupe de concertation des acteurs politiques (GCAP), a key opposition coalition in Chad, were sentenced to eight years in prison in N’Djamena. Alifa Younous Mahamat condemned these arbitrary arrests and trials, stating: « This case reveals Chad’s alarming slide toward dictatorship, where fear and repression enforce a single, unchallenged ideology. »

The activists had been detained just days before a planned protest march, which authorities had banned.

Systematic suppression of dissent in Chad

The PSF coordinator argues that the imprisonment of GCAP leaders is part of a broader strategy to eliminate credible political opposition. « Every dissenting voice is systematically crushed », he asserts, describing a political environment that is increasingly closed off. He highlights severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms in Chad: « Opposition parties cannot exercise their rights to free speech, organize, or assemble. »

This recent crackdown follows the 20-year prison sentence imposed on prominent opposition leader Succès Masra nearly a year ago.

Chadian diaspora amplifies opposition voices

From his base in France and Europe, Alifa Younous Mahamat emphasizes the role of the Chadian diaspora in keeping international pressure on the regime. « We give a voice to those who cannot speak out », he says, noting efforts to engage with international institutions and human rights organizations. « We urge the global community to take decisive action », he stresses.

Engaging French politicians to address Chad’s crisis

Mahamat also reports meeting with French lawmakers to raise awareness about the situation in Chad. « We’ve spoken with deputies and senators, including representatives from La France insoumise », he explains. He specifically mentions a meeting with the party’s leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. For the exiled opposition, international mobilization is now a critical tool against the growing authoritarianism of Mahamat Idriss Déby’s government.