Chad’s former Prime Minister and opposition leader, Succès Masra, is appealing to French President Emmanuel Macron for support after spending two months in pre-trial detention.
Masra’s legal team has sent a formal letter to Macron, urging him to speak out and intervene in what they describe as a politically motivated case. The lawyers accuse the French president of remaining silent and are calling on him to mediate and press for Masra’s release.
Masra is accused of orchestrating the massacre of 42 herders in the southern town of Mandakao in May 2025. He has denied any involvement, calling the charges baseless and politically driven.
According to Radio France Internationale, his lawyers allege that the investigating judge in the case was pressured by senior officials within Chad’s government to order Masra’s detention. They argue that the only piece of evidence is a 2023 audio recording in which Masra calls for communities in the south to defend themselves. This recording was made well before the events in question.
The legal team denounces the case as a violation of Masra’s fundamental rights and accuses the Chadian justice system of bias against the main opposition figure.
Masra, leader of the Transformers party, has long been a vocal critic of Chad’s ruling authorities. With few options left within the national legal system, his lawyers are now seeking international support. They hope President Macron will take the lead.
