Yaoundé, Cameroon – October 2, 2024, In a stunning display of intimidation, security forces today arrested Mr. Reed Broody, Ildjima LOKIAM, and Me Delphine Kemneloum Djiraibé during a press conference at the Center for Studies and Training in Development (CEFOD).
Eyewitnesses report that the police stormed the CEFOD building and attempted to violently shove the lawyers into a police van as if they were common criminals. Officers who did not produce a judicial order surrounded the building where the lawyers, civil society leaders, and the public were gathered. Amid a tense and chaotic atmosphere that ensued, the police decided against using their vans. Instead, they forced the lawyers into a CEFOD vehicle and drove them away, presumably to the General Intelligence Headquarters.
“We are extremely concerned about the Chadian government’s underhanded attempt to silence victims of gross human rights abuses by brutalizing their lawyers,” stated Andrea Ngombet, President of the Opening Central Africa Coalition, “ it is an alarming move that reeks of intimidation tactics and speaks volumes about the extent to which authorities are willing to go to suppress justice and accountability” Mr. Ngombet continued.
This brutal act underscores a disturbing pattern of targeting those who seek to expose the dark history of Hissène Habré, the former dictator of Chad. Habré’s regime (1982 to 1990) was notorious for its brutality—thousands of Chadians were tortured, murdered, or “disappeared. In 2016, Habré was finally brought to justice and convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and torture by an international tribunal. The lawyers arrested today have been pivotal figures in holding Habre accountable and ensuring that the voices of his thousands of victims are heard in the fight for justice.
According to Tutu Alicante, Treasurer of the OCA, “The arrest of these internationally recognized human rights defenders is not just a local issue—it has global implications; it’s a direct violation of international law. Article 16 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects lawyers’ right to carry out their work without fear of harassment or intimidation. By arresting these legal professionals, Chad’s authorities have crossed a dangerous line; one that the international community should not ignore, as it will be emulated by regional authoritarian kleptocrats.”
Opening Central Africa calls on the Chadian government to investigate this incident and the unlawful deportation of these lawyers, who have committed no crime other than seeking justice for victims of atrocities. Their safety must be guaranteed, and any attempts to deport international advocates must be condemned in the strongest terms.
We urge the African Union and the international community to rally behind these brave human rights defenders, whose work is crucial to ensuring justice for the victims of heinous crimes and terror.
Chad must be held accountable for these actions, and justice and accountability should not be silenced.
