74/92 Commission nationale des droits de l'Homme et
des libertés / Chad
Summary of Facts
1. The communication1 is brought by Commission nationale des droits de l'Homme et des libertés de la
Fédération nationale des Unions de jeunes avocats de France. The complaint alleges several massive and
severe violations in Chad.
2. The complaint alleges that journalists are harassed, both directly and indirectly. These attacks are often
by unidentified individuals who the Complainants claim to be security service agents of the Government.
The Government denies responsibility.
3. The complaint alleges the arbitrary arrest of several people, among those four members of the
opposition party, RDP, by the security services. These people were never brought before a court, although
they were eventually set free. 15 more people were illegally detained, but have now been liberated.
4. There are several accounts of killings, disappearances and torture. 15 people are reported killed, 200
wounded, and several persons tortured as a result of the civil war between the security services and other
groups.
5. The communication alleges the assassination of Bisso Mamadou, who was attacked by armed
individuals. The Minister responsible was warned of the danger to Mr Bisso, but he refused to issue
protection. Subsequently, the Minister did not initiate investigation into the killing.
6. The communication also alleges the assassination of Joseph Betudi, Vice-President of Ligue tchadienne
des droits de l'Homme. It also contains allegations of inhuman treatment of prisoners.
Procedure
7. The communication is dated 11th May 1992 and includes a report based on an observation mission to
Chad made by the Association Agir ensemble pour les droits de l'Homme and the Fédération nationale des
unions de jeunes avocats.
8. The Commission was seized of the communication at its 12th Session and on 16th November 1992 the
Government of Chad was notified of the communication.
9. On 10th March 1993, the Ministry of Justice responded to the communication.
10. On 12th April 1993, the Chairman of the Commission wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
requested its permission to conduct an on-the-spot investigation in Chad.
11. The Government did not reply to that letter, nor to the following reminders.
12. A letter was sent to the Government on 3rd February 1995, and to the Complainant on 17th February
1995, stating that the communication would be considered at the 17th Session.
13. At the 17th Session in March 1995, the communication was declared admissible. The Government and
Complainant were informed of that decision.
14. On 1st September 1995, a letter was sent to the Government stating that the communication would be
heard on its merits at the 18th Session of the Commission and inviting the Government to send a
representative.
15. At the 18th Session, the Commission heard Ms Fabienne Trusses-Naprous, of the Fédération nationale
des unions de jeunes avocats, Commission nationale des droits de l'Homme et des libertés of France. She
reiterated the information in the original communication, both verbally and by way of a memoire. This
memoire, in addition to summarising the information in the original communication, affirmed that the human
rights situation in Chad has not seen improvement to the present day. The Commission decided the
communication on the merits, resolving that there was evidence of serious and massive violations of
human and peoples' rights. Article 58 was invoked to draw the attention of the Assembly of Heads of State
and Government of the OAU to this fact.
16. On 27th November 1995 a letter was received from the Ministry of External Affairs of Chad with regard
to the Secretariat's letter of 1st September 1995. This letter stated that the National Human Rights
Commission of Chad could find no record of the communication.
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