Africa-Press. A court in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, has sentenced eight leaders of the political coordination group (GCAP), an opposition platform in Chad, to eight years in prison after convicting them on charges related to “armed assembly,” “rebellion,” “insurrection,” and “possession of war weapons.” The prosecution had sought sentences of up to ten years for the defendants.
The sentences included the president of the opposition Democratic Union for Development and Progress party, Max Kimkoi, who also heads the political coordination group, and was convicted on charges of “criminal conspiracy” and “rebellion.”
The court upheld the same charges against the other eight opposition members, while Bedi Valentin, the head of the African Party for Peace and Social Justice, was convicted of possessing unlicensed firearms.
The ruling was issued in the absence of the defendants, who remain detained at the Klessoum prison, while the courtroom was attended only by the defense team and a limited number of close associates of the opposition leaders.
The session was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Chad time, but the court issued the ruling an hour early, prompting criticism from opposition supporters who believed the authorities intentionally prevented public attendance and support for the defendants.
Defense lawyers described the ruling as “hasty and harsh,” arguing that the case lacked sufficient evidence. Attorney Athanas, spokesperson for the defense team, stated that the sentence “amounts to judicial assassination,” especially considering the advanced age of some defendants, adding that the prosecution “failed to prove any of the charges against his clients.” He also viewed the ruling as reflecting a trend to silence opposing voices in the country.
The judicial decision sparked anger within opposition coalition parties, although only a limited number of their leaders publicly expressed their stance for fear of persecution or retaliation.
Opponents described the trial as “shameful,” criticizing the speed at which the ruling was issued. Hussein Abdullah, spokesperson for the Patriots Party, stated that the absence of the defendants during deliberations sends a clear message aimed at “suppressing democratic and opposition voices” and imposing the dominance of a single party and ideology in the country.
Several close associates of the political coordination group leaders confirmed that they are under constant surveillance and monitoring, indicating that “the threat is ever-present.”
Following the sentences, Hussein Abdullah called on what he termed the “democratic opposition” to withdraw from parliament and the Senate in protest against the conviction of the eight group leaders.
