Hissène Habré(1942-2021)
Born in Chad, Hissène Habré studied in France from 1963 to 1971. After coming back to Chad, he joined a rebel group then founded his own. Named Prime Minister in August 1978, he left the government in February 1979 as his rebel forces were fighting against national troops.
After a coup, Habré became Chad President in June 1982 until December 1990, when he was also deposed by a coup. His regime was dictatorial and resulted in many imprisonments, tortures and executions (some estimates run as high as 40,000 deaths).
He then flew to Senegal. That country faced Belgium pressure, followed by African Union and Europe, to extradite Habré for trial. He was placed under house arrest in 2005 and arrested in June 2013. He finally faced trial in Senegal from July 2015 to May 2016, when he was sentenced to life in prison. It was the first time a universal jurisdiction trial was held in Africa and the first time a former head of state was convicted for human rights abuses in the court of another nation.
After a coup, Habré became Chad President in June 1982 until December 1990, when he was also deposed by a coup. His regime was dictatorial and resulted in many imprisonments, tortures and executions (some estimates run as high as 40,000 deaths).
He then flew to Senegal. That country faced Belgium pressure, followed by African Union and Europe, to extradite Habré for trial. He was placed under house arrest in 2005 and arrested in June 2013. He finally faced trial in Senegal from July 2015 to May 2016, when he was sentenced to life in prison. It was the first time a universal jurisdiction trial was held in Africa and the first time a former head of state was convicted for human rights abuses in the court of another nation.