Posted by travelhouseuk on August 18, 2008
Former Chadian President, Hissen Habre was on Friday 15 August 2008 sentenced to death by a Chadian court. He was accused of trying to overthrow the government. Reports say the court sentenced him in absentia along with 11 other rebel leaders
They were also accused of crimes against the state security.Thirty-one other rebels were convicted in absentia and sentenced to life with hard labour.
Habre’s lawyer, El Hadji Diouf, reacted angrily to news of the death sentence, saying he had heard nothing of a trial in Chad.
It should be noted that Habre has been living in Senegal since fleeing Chad in 1990 after his government was toppled by present president, Idriss Derby.
Meanwhile, Senegal has been making moves to put Habre on trial for Human Rights crimes. Last month, Senegal’s parliament passed legislation that set the legal framework to put the former president on trial. The measure abolished the statute of limitations on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Among those sentenced to death is Mahamat Nouri of the Rebel National Alliance. Chad has accused Nouri of taking part in a failed coup attempt in February that left 700 people dead.
This entry was posted on August 18, 2008 at 2:43 pm and is filed under Chad.
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