The election of Mahamat Idriss Déby: What are the security issues for Chad and beyond?
Posted: 5 June, 2024 Filed under: Joris Joël Fomba Tala | Tags: fight against terrorism, freedom of expression, human rights violations, human trafficking, inclusive dialogue, Mahamat Idriss Déby, national unity, political transition, politico-armed groups, President of Chad, regional challenges, Republic of Chad, social inequalities, Succès Masra, violent extremism, Yaya Dillo Leave a comment
Author: Joris Joël Fomba Tala
Researcher, Centre for International and Community Law
On 23 May 2024, Mahamat Idriss Déby was sworn in as the new President of Chad. On 16 May 2024, the Constitutional council officially declared Mahamat Idriss Déby the winner of the presidential election. According to results, Deby won 61 per cent of the votes cast, compared with 18.53 per cent for his main rival Succès Masra. This election brings to an end three years of political transition in the country led by the president-elect. According to some sources, the presidential election in Chad was marred by irregularities and was neither free, credible nor democratic, in a context marked by human rights violations. It is important to remember that the junta had excluded General Déby’s most dangerous opponents from the ballot, in particular his cousin and fierce rival Yaya Dillo, who was assassinated two months before the election. After the proclamation of the results, a few shots were fired by soldiers in the district housing the headquarters of the Succès Masra Les Transformeurs party, forcing people to take refuge in their homes. It has been reported that around twenty people died from gunshot wounds and 60 others were admitted to hospital.
Struggles and Triumphs: A close look at sexual and gender minority rights in Benin
Posted: 28 November, 2023 Filed under: Lakshita Kanhiya | Tags: Benin, bodily harm, discrimination, Freedom House Report, fundamental rights, gender minorities, harassment, human rights, national unity, non-discrimination, same-sex relations, sexual and gender minority rights, sexual assault, social stigma, violence, Working Group on Benin’s Universal Periodic Review Leave a comment
Author: Lakshita Kanhiya
Human Rights Advocate
The Republic of Benin has long been considered a beacon of democracy in West Africa.[1] However, between 2016 to 2021, the country witnessed a concerning regression in human rights, as noted in the Freedom House Report of 2021.[2] Benin transitioned from a ‘free state’ to a ‘partly free state’ during this period, in terms of its democratic credentials. Despite this regression, Benin has taken significant strides in protecting the rights of sexual and gender minorities,[3] marking a notable contrast to its neighbouring countries namely Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
AfricLaw 