Africa-Press. A court in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, has sentenced Djimodouel Faustin, head of the Independent Teachers’ Union of Chad, to one year in prison, after convicting him on charges of “rebellion” and “disturbing public order”.
Faustin, who has led a large-scale teachers’ strike since early January, faced four charges, including “impersonation” and “incitement to rebellion”. Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison term, but the court ultimately imposed a one-year sentence. The union he leads had called for a strike from 5 January to 4 February, demanding that the government honour its commitments to improve teachers’ working conditions and raise salaries.
Faustin’s lawyer described the ruling as a “sham trial”, saying his client “committed no crime other than leading a union”, and stressing that “trade union freedom is a fundamental right that should not be subject to debate or authorisation”. He also warned of a deterioration in his client’s health due to detention conditions since his arrest on 6 January, and said an appeal would be filed, hoping the appeals court will review the case within a month and order his release.
The verdict comes amid escalating tensions between the authorities and professional unions in Chad, as teachers have for months been demanding better living conditions in a country grappling with deep-rooted economic and social crises.
