Chadian dissident Tom Erdimi released from prison in Egypt
Tom Erdimi, at a Unesco conference in 1992. © Derdimi/creative commons
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Dissident Tom Erdimi has been released from prison in Egypt, according to the Chadian presidency and his family.
First chief of staff of Idriss Déby Itno, before going into the opposition where he was considered the eminence grise of the rebellion led by his twin brother Timan Erdimi, Tom had been missing since 2020. He was then staying in Egypt.
Since then, all attempts by his family to have him released had been in vain, until recently when his brother participated in the Doha pre-dialogue before returning to Ndjamena for the inclusive and sovereign national dialogue.
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"
Tom Erdimi has been released from prison, he is free
",
announced
to us at the beginning of the afternoon, this Wednesday, the deputy secretary general of the Chadian presidency, Ousmane Abdramane Djougourou, on a mission to Cairo to conclude this affair.
A release that was confirmed to us in the process by a relative of the Chadian opponent, very happy to find him.
Members of his family have been in Cairo for several days awaiting his release, which comes after a presidential pardon granted to him by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi two days ago.
“
It was the PCMT, the president of the transition in Chad, who interceded for him
”, specifies his deputy secretary general.
An intercession which intervenes, according to our sources, within the framework of an agreement with his twin brother, the rebel leader Timan Erdimi who had made it one of the conditions for his participation in the inclusive and sovereign national dialogue which is taking place at the moment. in N'Djamena.
Timan and Tom Erdimi, both close relatives of the late President Idriss Déby Itno, of whom they were the right arms in the 1990s, then took up arms against him.
Timan Erdimi had moreover been on the verge of taking the capital in 2008, Mr. Déby only owing his salvation to an intervention by the French army.
Since then, both had been living in exile, Timan in Qatar, while his twin brother had been languishing for two years in an Egyptian prison.
"
Tom Erdimi's ordeal ended today
," said a relative.
He should reach Chad “
immediately
”, announce the Chadian presidency and his family.
►Read again: Chad: proof of life of Tom Erdimi, a new step towards the pre-dialogue in Doha
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