Ex-dictator Chad receives life imprisonment for atrocities under his rule

In a landmark verdict, Hissène Habre, the former dictator of Chad, has been sentenced to life in prison by the Extraordinary African Chambers (CAE) court in Senegal. This is the first time a country has prosecuted a former leader of another nation for rights abuses.

The verdict, handed down on May 30, 2022, brings a long-awaited reckoning for families of the up to 40,000 people killed and many who were kidnapped, raped, or tortured under Habre's rule from 1982-1990 as president of Chad.

Clement Abeifouta, president of a Habre survivors association, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, calling it the crowning achievement of a long and hard fight against impunity. Reed Brody, a lawyer for Human Rights Watch, who has spent the last 15 years working with victims to bring Habre to justice, shared similar sentiments.

The trial, which lasted 10 months, saw witnesses describe graphic details of abusive and often deadly punishments inflicted by Habre's secret police, the Documentation and Security Directorate (DDS). Victims were subjected to electric shocks, waterboarding, gas sprayed in their eyes, and spice rubbed into their genitals.

Habre declined to address the court throughout the trial and refused to recognize its authority. His defense team unsuccessfully sought to cast doubt on his involvement in the abuses committed by the DDS.

Gaetan Mootoo, an Amnesty International West Africa researcher, stated that the verdict would serve as a guiding light for those living in repressive regimes worldwide. The statement made by Mootoo was issued in response to the verdict handed down against Habre.

The CAE special tribunal is a court set up by the African Union under a deal with Senegal. The Extraordinary African Chambers were established through an agreement between the African Union and the government of Senegal to prosecute human rights violations by Hissène Habré, involving specifically the member states of the African Union and Senegal as the host country of the tribunal.

The conviction sends a powerful message that the days when tyrants could brutalize their people, pillage their treasury, and escape abroad to a life of luxury are coming to an end, according to Reed Brody.

However, not everyone is celebrating the verdict. Mahamat Togoi, a member of a Habre supporters group, called the verdict a crime against Africa.

The verdict is seen as a moment that can provide hope and strength to victims around the world who are fighting for justice. The sentence, which is a testament to the courage and resilience of the victims, marks a significant step towards accountability for human rights abuses.