Succès Masra taken into custody amid rising political tensions in Chad

In Chad, opposition leader Succès Masra was taken into custody by security forces on May 15, 2025, following his involvement in a serious intercommunal clash in the southwest province of Logone Occidental. The clash reportedly resulted in 42 deaths, and Masra is alleged to have incited hatred and violence through social media posts calling for armed resistance against a community in the area. These accusations arise amid ongoing tensions between pastoralists and farmers, which have been a recurrent issue in Chad's Central African region. Masra's party, the Transformers, quickly labeled the incident as an abduction, stating that it was executed without any judicial procedures and violated fundamental civil and political rights outlined in Chad's constitution. The party's vice president, Ndolembai Sade Njesada, shared video evidence suggesting that armed individuals in uniform forcibly removed Masra from his home, raising concerns regarding the state of political freedom and human rights in Chad. This arrest follows a turbulent political history for Masra; he previously fled to exile in 2022 after the military government suspended his party during a crackdown on protests against President Mahamat Idriss Déby’s extended rule. These protests had turned violent, resulting in over 60 fatalities, which the government condemned as an attempted coup. Masra's return from exile in January 2024 had seemed hopeful, with an appointment as prime minister aimed at bridging divides before the recent presidential elections, which Déby won amid allegations of fraud from the opposition. The arrest of Masra may further exacerbate existing political tensions in Chad, as opposition figures react to the ongoing crackdown on dissent. With the political landscape still unstable following the recent elections, Masra's situation could ignite protests and fuel international scrutiny concerning the government's approach to dissent and civil rights.