The legal team representing detained Chadian opposition leader Succès Masra has made a direct appeal to French President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to intervene in what they describe as a politically motivated prosecution.
The former prime minister and leader of the Transformers party has been in pretrial detention for nearly two months, accused of inciting a deadly massacre in southern Chad.
Masra stands accused of encouraging violence that resulted in the deaths of 42 herders in Mandakao on May 14, 2025.
Prosecutors have cited a 2023 audio recording in which he allegedly called for self-defense by southern communities under threat.
However, his lawyers argue there is no link between that statement and the violence that erupted two years later.
“This accusation has no solid legal basis,” the defense stated, stressing that the evidence presented is both outdated and taken out of context.
They argue that Masra’s words were a general call for protection, not incitement to violence.
French lawyer Vincent Bringarth of the Paris-based firm Bourdon & Associés denounced the case as “political” and criticized the lack of response from the French government.
“The Chadian justice system is deaf to rational arguments,” he said. “With domestic remedies having been exhausted, only international pressure could break the impasse.”
Bringarth also referenced France’s past statements on human rights in Chad, particularly in the wake of the violent crackdown on protests during “Black Thursday” in October 2022.
He warned that France’s continued silence could be seen as tacit endorsement of the current government’s actions.
Civil society groups and Masra’s supporters have kept up the pressure domestically.
Protests, online campaigns, and open letters have been launched across the country, accusing the Chadian government of stifling dissent and manipulating the judiciary for political ends.
The direct appeal to Macron highlights growing mistrust in Chad’s legal institutions and a belief that only international advocacy can ensure Masra receives a fair trial—or secure his release.
As of now, the Élysée Palace has yet to respond to the plea. For Masra’s legal team, that silence is increasingly untenable.
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