Investigation in the background of the lawyers’ protest Africa | DW

401 out of 621 defendants appeared on Tuesday. Another 220 people facing more serious charges will be arraigned later.

But The trial is being held without lawyers They decided to suspend their operations across the country for the duration of the investigation. Prosecutors denounce the illegal deportation of defendants more than 500 kilometers away, in violation of rules governing the territorial jurisdiction of courts.

They also condemn what they heard Imprisoned people Without the help of a lawyer.

”They say my son is in Goro Toro and the Red Cross is taking care of him, but is that true or not? I do not know. As a father, how will they judge them if there are no lawyers? They did nothing, they fought for their rightsGrégoire Ousman, father of Ousman Anjafa, a 22-year-old man arrested following the October 20 protests, explains.

This situation does not respect Chadian justice, believes political scientist Evariste Ngarlem Toldé. According to himInvoking public hearings to pass judgment on Coro Toro does not respect our justice. It is time for the government to understand that doing so risks escalating the situation further. They are defendants and they deserve fair justice. What is happening in Coro Toro is a way of alienating the victims from their parents and interested people who want to attend these trials.“.

“A travesty of justice”

Spokesperson for attorney Max Lölnger Walkit-Dama Citizen MovementOne of the organizations behind the October 20 protest, which has been in hiding ever since, is simply the government Adjourn the hearing.

“Absence of lawyers at trial is a travesty of justice. A trial cannot be imagined without the defense of the defendants’ cause. Judiciary authorities like political authorities should adjourn this hearing considering the refusal of lawyers to appear for this hearing. Bring the defendants back to N’Djamena and allow a truly independent trial to begin, so that if there is a rebellion as they claim, we open the way for a fair trial.‘ mentions.

When contacted by Deutsche Welle, neither Justice Minister Mohamed Ahmed Alhabo nor Chadian government spokesman Aziz Mohamed Saleh declined to comment on the matter.