Former Chadian Dictator Hissène Habré Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

Hissène Habré, the former dictator of Chad, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, June 10, for suppressing the people during his rule. His trial began in July 2015. According to the Associated Press, upon the court's ruling, a group of political prisoners from Habré's regime and their supporters shed tears of joy and embraced each other. In contrast, a group of Habré's supporters cheered for him as he exited the heavily secured courthouse. He raised his hands to his supporters and displayed his clenched fists while they applauded him. Habré was charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, and torture, including sexual assault and rape of a woman. He has been identified as responsible for the murder and torture of tens of thousands of his opponents during his dictatorship in Chad from 1982 to 1990. A truth commission established in Chad in 1992 accused Habré's regime of systematic repression, murder, and abuse of opponents, stating that 40,000 people were killed during his rule. The report identified the security police as the main perpetrators of the repression. Reed Brody, a lawyer for Human Rights Watch who has worked on this case for over 15 years, stated, "The conviction of Hissène Habré after 25 years for these horrific crimes is a major victory for the victims and the people of Chad, who without their sacrifice and perseverance, he would never have been tried. This ruling sends a powerful message that the era in which dictators fled abroad after massacring people and lived comfortably is over." He added, "Habré's regime showed that no one is above the law. This is the first time a former head of state has been personally convicted for the rape of women." Habré's trial began last July in a court in Senegal. This is the first trial in which a former leader of another country has been tried and convicted for human rights violations. Over 90 witnesses testified during the trial. Habré's defense attorney stated he would appeal the court's ruling, having 15 days to submit his appeal. The second part of the trial, which will decide on compensation for 4,000 private plaintiffs, will begin in the coming days. Habré, who had been living in Dakar, Senegal since fleeing Chad in 1990, condemned the trial as politically motivated. He and his supporters disrupted court sessions several times. He refused to hire a lawyer, but the Senegalese judiciary appointed a public defender for him. The current Chadian government, led by President Idriss Déby, who was Habré's military advisor before ousting him, supported the holding of this trial. Habré's trial is the result of the legal efforts and actions of many victims of imprisonment and torture and the families of those killed during his dictatorship. Habré was first convicted by a Senegalese judge in 2000. However, after a long legal battle over the past decade, the case was referred to Belgium but ultimately returned to Senegal due to the efforts of victims and their families. In 2001, part of the archives of the Chadian police from Habré's regime was discovered, containing evidence related to the murder of over 12,000 people in detention centers. The extraordinary court that tried Habré was composed of Senegalese judicial authorities and the African Union. The U.S. government welcomed the ruling, with Secretary of State John Kerry describing it as "an unprecedented step in the global fight against impunity for perpetrators of crimes and massacres." He added that this case also provides an opportunity for the U.S. to reflect on its past actions and involvement in Chad.