Following the eight-year prison sentences handed down to eight Chadian opposition figures, Alifa Younous Mahamat, coordinator of the PSF in France and Europe, has accused the regime of Mahamat Idriss Déby of systematically silencing political dissent.

Listen to Alifa Younous Mahamat

Instrumentalised justice for political purposes

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 on Friday. Responding to the verdict, Alifa Younous Mahamat condemned the arrests and convictions as arbitrary and politically motivated. “This case clearly shows that Chad is sinking deeper into dictatorship, where a single narrative is enforced through fear and repression,” he declared. The opposition figures had been detained just days before a banned protest march.

Systematic suppression of dissenting voices

For the PSF leader, the imprisonment of GCAP leaders is part of a broader strategy to eliminate credible opposition. “Every dissenting voice is systematically and completely crushed,” he warned, describing an increasingly closed political environment. He stressed that fundamental freedoms in Chad are severely restricted: “It is impossible for a credible opposition party to exercise freedom of expression, union rights, or assembly.”

This latest conviction comes nearly a year after the sentencing of Succès Masra, former Prime Minister and prominent opposition figure, to 20 years in prison.

Related article: Chad: eight opposition leaders sentenced to eight years in prison after banned protest

Diaspora as a voice for the oppressed

From France and Europe, the Chadian diaspora is working to amplify international awareness of the political crisis in Chad. “We give voice to those who cannot speak,” explained Alifa Younous Mahamat, who has been engaging with international institutions and human rights organisations. “We urge the international community to take decisive action,” he insisted.

Engaging French political leaders

The PSF coordinator also reported meetings with French political figures to highlight the situation in Chad. “We have met with French deputies and senators,” he noted, including discussions with representatives of La France insoumise. “We even met with their leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon,” he added. For the exiled Chadian opposition, international mobilisation is now seen as a crucial tool against the growing repression under Mahamat Idriss Déby’s rule.