Chad: President signs pardon for 380 Fact rebels sentenced to life imprisonment

A group of captured Fact rebels outside Chadian army headquarters in N'Djamena, May 9, 2021. (Illustrative photo) AFP - DJIMET WICHE

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

In Chad, transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby signed a presidential pardon on Saturday (March 25th) for 380 of the more than 400 Fact (Front for Alternation and Concord) rebels sentenced last Tuesday. The rebels had been sentenced to life imprisonment for acts of terrorism, endangering national security and endangering the life of the Head of State.

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They were arrested after the death of former President Idriss Déby in 2021. Their lawyer, Francis Lokouldé, welcomes this decision. "We can only welcome this decision taken by the president of the transition. So it's a sigh of relief. We believe that this is a big step, except that we want to emphasize that it is not a pardon that concerns everyone, because there, there are only 380 accused who are pardoned, "says the lawyer.

► READ ALSO: Chad: more than 400 rebels of the Fact sentenced to life imprisonment

Me Francis Lokouldé would have liked it to touch everyone. Fifty-five convicts, including the head of the Fact, Mahamat Mahdi Ali, are not affected by this presidential pardon. "Mahamat Mahdi and his entourage are not affected by this measure. Not all those convicted in absentia are affected by this presidential pardon, he said. It is difficult to understand because there, if the presidential pardon were to be taken against all the accused, it could have been better. However, there is a sorting work that has been done.

The lawyer adds: "We would like all those convicted in this trial to be pardoned. So, if this is a policy of the government's outstretched hand, we want it to be general.

Release of prisoners of war

For its part, the Chadian government explains that the initial commitment of the head of state was the release of prisoners of war. And therefore that people sentenced in absentia, including Mahamat Mahdi Ali, cannot be concerned by this pardon.

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The solemn commitment before the people was the release of prisoners of war. Persons tried in absentia are not prisoners of war. These discussions and debates to return to peace are always open, and the hand remains outstretched. The Head of State shows by this act that he is above the fray and that he wants to act for peace and definitive reconciliation in Chad," said Aziz Mahamat Saleh, government spokesman and Minister of Communication.

Just after this sentence, "Mahamat Idriss Déby thought that it was time to do this act, especially at an important time for the country, with this period of forgiveness that also calls for this period of Ramadan. It is, in my opinion, a strong act, an act that has a symbolic enough important for the Chadian nation, to really allow to be able to rebuild on new bases, "says the spokesman of the government.

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Read on on the same topics:

• Mahamat Idriss Déby
• Chad
• Idriss Déby Itno
• Justice