Chad's former prime minister’s health ‘deteriorates’ in prison

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - Chad's former Prime Minister Succes Masra’s health has been deteriorating since his imprisonment earlier this year on charges of inciting communal violence and he needs urgent medical care outside the country, his party said Thursday.

In a statement, the party demanded Masra’s provisional release on medical grounds, saying his “deteriorating health requires appropriate medical care not available in Chad’s medical facilities.”

The statement said an urgent request for medical evacuation issued by the attending physician has been submitted by Masra’s lawyers to the authorities, but a response is yet to be received.

Masra, the leader of Chad’s main opposition party Les Transformateurs (The Transformers), was arrested in the capital N'Djamena in May this year following inter-communal violence in Logone Occidental province that reportedly killed 42 people.

He was sentenced in August to 20 years in prison after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and inciting a massacre.

In June, Masra went on a hunger strike to protest his detention.

He ended the hunger strike after nearly a week following a protest by women who demanded his release.

He ran in the May 2024 presidential election, which was won by then-transitional president Mahamat Idriss Deby.