Charges against human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou
On 8 January 2020, human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou was released.
On 4 December 2019, the Office of the Prosecutor in N’Djamena charged human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou with “murder” and “complicity to murder”. Mahamat Nour Ibedou was arrested after appearing before the criminal unit at the Central Police station in N’Djamena the day before. He is currently in detention at N'Djamena Remand Prison.
Mahamat Nour Ibedou is the Secretary General of the Convention Tchadienne pour les Droits Humains—CTDDH (Chadian Convention for the Protection of Human Rights). CTDDH is a prominent organisation in Chadian civil society championing civil and political rights.
On 8 January 2020, human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou was released. The charges against him were dropped following a dismissal order issued by the investigating magistrate in N’Djamena.
On 4 December 2019, the Office of the Prosecutor in N’Djamena charged human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou with “murder” and “complicity to murder”. Mahamat Nour Ibedou was arrested after appearing before the criminal unit at the Central Police station in N’Djamena the day before. He is currently in detention at N'Djamena Remand Prison.
Mahamat Nour Ibedou is the Secretary General of the Convention Tchadienne pour les Droits Humains—CTDDH (Chadian Convention for the Protection of Human Rights). CTDDH is a prominent organisation in Chadian civil society championing civil and political rights.
The charges of “murder” and “complicity to murder” brought against Mahamat Nour Ibedou are related to a murder allegedly committed in 2014 by Malik Ibet Ibrahim, a member of CTDDH who is facing separate judicial proceedings. On 20 November, the CTDDH, in an interview, distanced itself from Malik Ibet Ibrahim. Mahamat Nour Ibedou’s lawyers believe that the Prosecutor is attempting to link the CTDDH Secretary-General to the 2014 murder to discredit him and in retaliation to his recent criticism of a member of the Chadian President’s family.
On 29 November 2019, Mahamat Nour Ibedou received a notification demanding him to appear before the criminal unit at the Central Police Station in N’Djamena over a complaint for defamation filed against him by Bokhit Itno, a nephew of the Chadian President. The complaint was filed following a press release signed by Mahamat Nour Ibedou on behalf of CTDDH denouncing the alleged sequestration and physical abuse of three people by Bokhit Itno on his private property. On 3 December 2019, Mahamat Nour Ibedou presented himself at the designated place and was arrested. The charges against Mahamat Nour Ibedou are based on an email which purportedly shows that he was helping Malik Ibet Ibrahim evade justice for the murder. His lawyers have highlighted a number of irregularities in the email that would prove it to be fabricated. This is the fourth time time that Mahamat Nour Ibedou has been arrested for his work defending of human rights.
Front Line Defenders is concerned that the detention of human rights defender Mahamat Nour Ibedou and the charges against him may be in retaliation for his legitimate work defending human rights.
