Manifestation au #Tchad pour réclamer un dialogue national plus inclusifhttps://t.co/LteKJ4FISZ
— Clément Boursin (@ClementBoursin) December 13, 2021
La coalition d’opposition Wakit Tama et plus d’un millier de manifestants ont marché ce samedi 11 décembre pour réclamer une transition plus inclusive
Peaceful Assembly
Wakit Tama protests against military governance
Wakit Tama, a coalition of opposition and civil society, continued to protest against the Transitional Military Council's governance. On 11th December 2021, after several postponements due to bans issued by authorities, Wakit Tama protested in N'Djamena, gathering a thousand people according to media sources. The protesters demanded a more inclusive transition and a revision of the transitional charter.
Security forces used excessive force during Wakit Tama's protest on 2nd October 2021 in N'Djamena, injuring 40 to 45 people and damaging private property. According to HRW, anti-riot police and gendarmes used tear gas, rubber bullets and potentially live ammunition to disperse protesters, despite authorisation for holding the protest. Authorities claim the intervention was due to protest organisers not adhering to the agreed protest itinerary.
On 9th October 2021, security forces reportedly used tear gas against protesters in N'Djamena, injuring at least 10 people and arresting at least 45 people, according to Wakit Tama. Authorities banned the protest using grounds of "risks to disturb public order". According to human rights group Amnesty International, internet connections were reported to have slowed down for hours in certain areas of N'Djamena.
Illaria Allegrozzi of Human Rights Watch (HRW) said about the right to peaceful assembly:
“Six months after the Transitional Military Council came to power, civic space continues to be largely closed, peaceful protests are still violently repressed, and security forces enjoy impunity. The CMT should end its assault on dissenters and protesters and ensure that security forces implicated in rights abuses are held accountable.”
Student protest dispersed
On 2nd December 2021, police reportedly used violence to disperse a protest by medical students in N'Djamena. The students, who have been on strike since 10th November 2021, demand the payment of scholarship arrears and an improvement of conditions at the Faculty of Medicines. According to one student, interviewed by RFI, 59 protesters were arrested, 54 of whom were released.
Tchad: les leaders de Wakit Tama relâchés mais sous conditions https://t.co/z6vi4JB8hI pic.twitter.com/mhjtIu2r0D
— RFI (@RFI) October 13, 2021
Association
On 11th October 2021, three Wakit Tama leaders - Barka Michel, Sitack Yombatinan Béni and Félix Marting - were detained after they were summoned by judiciary police. The three were charged with "a gathering that caused a disturbance to public order", "attack on bodily integrity" and "destruction of property" in relation to the coalition's protest on 2nd October 2021 (see under Peaceful Assembly). The three were released under conditions on 12th October.
