1 Itno for a sixth term, he was killed during a public order and destroying state property”. visit to the combat zone. His death led to the They were released after a few days. The establishment of a transitional military council same month, the home of a political led by his son, Mahamat Idriss Déby. opponent was attacked by the security forces because he allegedly refused to respond to ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS several summons from the courts.2 According In June, Baradine Berde Targuio, president of to local human rights NGOs, this attack the Chadian Organization for Human Rights, resulted in the deaths of two of his relatives, was released on parole. He was serving a who were inside the house. three-year prison sentence, having been In April and May at least 16 demonstrators arrested on 24 January 2020 following a were killed in N’Djamena and the southern Facebook post alleging that President Idriss city of Moundou during protests organized by 3 Déby was ill. He spent nearly seven months the Wakit Tama coalition. Dozens more were in incommunicado detention before being injured and at least 700 protesters were charged in August 2020 with breaching arrested. Many of those arrested were national security, illegal possession of released immediately after the protests. weapons, assault and battery. The conditions Several people testified that they were of his release were not clarified. targeted by law enforcement officers with Mahamat Nour Ibedou, the Secretary lethal weapons while demonstrating. The General of the Chadian Convention for the authorities announced the opening of a Protection of Human Rights, who joined the judicial investigation into these incidents. A Wakit Tama coalition in several police officer who allegedly fired his weapon demonstrations against the regime, suffered was suspended. Information on the progress harassment from the judicial authorities. of the investigation remained unavailable at They summoned him several times for his the end of the year. participation in the demonstrations and he In May, a demonstration in support of the was arrested in March during a protest authorities was authorized by the transitional against Idriss Déby’s candidacy for a sixth government, while one organized by the term. He was released without charge after Wakit Tama platform was banned. three days in detention. He was summoned again in July following a complaint lodged by WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ RIGHTS the Ministry of Public Security in relation to a Widespread discrimination and violence statement he made denouncing the against women and girls continued. In June, conditions of detention of FACT members. women protested in the streets against sexual FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND violence and a culture of impunity for EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE perpetrators, after the gang rape of a 15-year- old girl was filmed and shared on social Between January and May, the Chadian media. authorities denied people the right to Girls’ enrolment in secondary school peaceful protest by systematically banning continued to fall, from 31% in 2017 to 12% gatherings on the grounds that they were in 2021, according to the World Economic likely to disturb public order. These bans Forum. (Boys’ enrolment in secondary were defied by demonstrators protesting first education in 2021 was 25%.) This was partly against the electoral process and later the due to nationwide school closures in 2020-21 establishment of the transitional government. because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a period Security forces used excessive force to during which several organizations noted an disperse peaceful protests. increased rate of early and forced marriage. In February at least 14 demonstrators were arrested in the capital, N’Djamena, and charged with “assault and battery, disturbing Amnesty International Report 2021/22 121