Chad Opposition Leaders Get One-year Suspended Terms

Six opposition leaders arrested after violent anti-French protests in N'Djamena have been handed one-year suspended sentences for disturbing public order, Chad's public prosecutor told AFP on Monday

N'Djamena, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jun, 2022 ) :Six opposition leaders arrested after violent anti-French protests in N'Djamena have been handed one-year suspended sentences for disturbing public order, Chad's public prosecutor told AFP on Monday.

They were also fined 10 million CFA francs, or about 15,000 Euros, said prosecutor Moussa Wade Djibrine, who had sought two-year prison terms.

The swift trial opened Monday morning at a court at Moussoro, around 300 kilometres (180 miles) from the capital, with defence lawyers boycotting the hearing amid a heavy police presence.

The case comes against a backdrop of political tension with a military junta in power following the death of the country's veteran leader more than a year ago.

An authorised march in the capital on May 14 against France's military presence in Chad turned violent.

Seven petrol stations belonging to the French oil major Total were attacked and 12 police were injured, according to a police toll.

In the aftermath, the authorities carried out a string of arrests among the march organisers, who denied any responsibility for the violence.

Those charged included Max Loalngar, coordinator for Wakit Tamma, Chad's main opposition coalition, and Gounoung Vaima Gan-Fare, secretary of the Chadian trade union federation.

The six were charged with disturbing public order and destruction of property. They had begun a hunger protest on May 23.

"We will appeal, a suspended sentence is still a sentence," said Wakit Tamma's lawyer Laguerre Ndjarandi.

"The court has been kind, it's not a bad thing to calm things down," communication minister Abderaman Koulamallah told AFP.