• Succes Masra, former Chad prime minister, arrested for alleged role in deadly clashes.
• Authorities accuse Masra of inciting hatred and violence via social media.
• His party claims the arrest was a forced "kidnapping" without due process.
• Renewed concerns arise over political repression and civil rights in Chad.
• Masra had previously contested the legitimacy of election results favoring President Déby.

Former Prime Minister and opposition leader Succes Masra of Chad was arrested on Friday amidst a growing controversy following deadly clashes in the southwest of the country that claimed at least 42 lives, primarily women and children. The public prosecutor, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, stated that Masra is being investigated for incitement of hatred, complicity in murder, and desecration of graves, linking him to the violence that erupted earlier this week in Logone Occidental province, identified as a result of conflict between herders and farmers, aggravated by social media messages calling for armed resistance, according to Africanews, BBC, and Reuters.

Masra’s political party, Transformateurs, has vehemently opposed the charges, calling the arrest an unlawful "kidnapping" carried out by military officers. Party members expressed grave concerns regarding the circumstances of his detention, emphasizing the violation of civil rights as it occurred outside known legal procedures. This event intensifies existing worries over the shrinking democratic space in Chad, where dissenting voices are often suppressed, as reported by India Times and Reuters.

The backdrop of Masra's arrest is steeped in recent political turmoil, as he previously fled Chad after government crackdowns on his party and protests against President Mahamat Idriss Déby's extended rule. Following his return to Chad, Masra briefly served as prime minister in early 2024, championing the opposition's call for political reforms ahead of contested elections. He claimed victory in the elections only to see official results favor Déby, heightening allegations of electoral fraud. The ongoing investigation into his actions and the subsequent arrests could further stress an already tense political landscape in Chad, as noted by BBC, Reuters, and India Times.