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of the National Movement of Citizen
Awakening (MECI), a movement bringing
together civil society organizations, trade
unions and political parties, describing it as
“unnatural” and “without any legal basis”. On
27 May the police interrupted and banned
MECI’s General Assembly.
The rights of trade unions were violated in
response to the strike action they initiated
from September 2016 to January 2017. They
remained subject to a decree introduced in
2016 limiting the right to strike, and their
requests to protest were rejected.
In January the authorities interfered in the
internal affairs of the trade union
representing researchers and university
teachers, SYNECS, to force the removal of its
president and end its strike. The same
month, visas were denied to representatives
of the General Confederation of Labour, an
international partner of Chadian trade unions.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Journalists critical of the government
received threats and were subject to
surveillance, while defamation and contempt
laws continued to be used in an attempt to
silence them.
Between 22 and 24 February, Eric
Kokinagué, the Director of Publication of the
newspaper Tribune Info, received more than
a dozen anonymous, threatening calls from
different numbers after he published an
article heavily critical of President Déby. On
25 February, the columnist who wrote the
article, Daniel Ngadjadoum, was abducted by
armed men, detained for up to 24 hours in
what he believes was an ANS facility, and
forced to write a letter of apology to the
President.
In June, Déli Sainzoumi Nestor, editor of the
bi-monthly newspaper Eclairages, was
charged with defamation after Daoussa Déby
Itno, former minister and brother of President
Déby, filed a complaint about an article
alleging his involvement in fraud in the sugar
industry.
On 4 September, radio journalist Mbairaba
Jean Paul was arrested and accused of
defamation after he reported on a communal
conflict between herders and farmers in
Doba. He was released the following day and
the prefect who ordered his arrest was
removed from office.
PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
The authorities continued to arrest and detain
journalists for doing their work and activists
and human rights defenders for exercising
their freedoms of expression and opinion.
Online activist Tadjadine Mahamat Babouri
(also known as Mahadine), who was arrested
on 30 September 2016, remained in
detention. He was arrested by ANS agents
after posting several videos on Facebook
criticizing the government’s alleged
mismanagement of public funds. He was
later charged with undermining the
constitutional order, threatening territorial
integrity and national security, and
collaborating with an insurrectional
movement. He reported that, while detained
by the ANS, he was deprived of food and
water for three days, electrocuted and
beaten.
On 5 May, Maoundoe Decladore,
spokesperson of the organization Ça doit
changer (“It must change”), was arrested at
night by four armed men in plain clothes in
Moundou. He was detained for 25 days
without any access to his family or lawyer, in
what he believes was an ANS facility. He was
transferred to the judicial police on 30 May
and charged with public disorder. Maoundoe
Decladore was released on bail due to his
deteriorating health and was awaiting trial at
the end of the year.
On 20 June, Sylver Beindé Bassandé, a
journalist and director of community radio Al
Nada FM in Moundou, was sentenced to two
years in prison and fined XAF100,000
(USD180) by the High Court of Moundou for
complicity in contempt of court and
undermining judicial authority. He had been
charged after airing a radio interview with a
municipal councillor, who had criticized
judges after having been convicted with two
other councillors in a separate proceeding.
Sylver Beindé Bassandé lodged an appeal
and was released on bail on 19 July. On 26
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September, the Court of Appeal overruled the
decision by the High Court of Moundou,
sentencing Sylver Beindé Bassandé to
complicity in defamation and fined him
XAF100,000 (USD180). He appealed to the
Supreme Court.
REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY
DISPLACED PEOPLE
More than 408,000 refugees from the Central
African Republic, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Nigeria and Sudan continued to
live in poor conditions in refugee camps.
Insecurity caused by Boko Haram attacks
and military operations resulted in the
displacement of more than 174,000 people
including at least 25,000 in 2017 alone.
In June, nearly 5,000 people fled a wave of
Boko Haram attacks on villages around Kaiga
Kindjiria and Tchoukoutalia, creating two new
sites for internally displaced people: Kengua
(Kiskra canton, Fouli department) and Kane
Ngouboua (Diameron). Since July, around
6,700 people arrived in Baga Sola from Niger
after the withdrawal of Chadian troops from
the country and in fear of attacks from Boko
Haram.
RIGHT TO FOOD
The Chadian military continued to impose
restrictions on the movement of people and
goods along the shores of Lake Chad,
hampering the livelihoods of communities
and heightening the risk of food insecurity.
According to the UN, severe acute
malnutrition increased from 2.1% to 3.4% in
the region during the year. Countrywide, the
UN estimated that 2.8 million people were
food insecure, including more than 380,000
people at crisis or emergency level.
CHILE
Republic of Chile
Head of state and government: Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Impunity for past and present human rights
violations remained a concern. Police
continued to use excessive force, especially
against Mapuche Indigenous Peoples. The
Anti-Terrorism Law was used against
Mapuche people, despite violating
international standards on due process
guarantees. A law decriminalizing abortion
in three specific circumstances entered into
force; abortion continued to be otherwise
criminalized.
BACKGROUND
Presidential and congressional elections were
held between November and December, and
Sebastián Piñera Echenique was elected
President. The President-elect and new
members of Congress were due to begin their
mandates in March 2018.
REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS
Congress considered a bill proposed by the
executive for a new immigration law.
The first 14 Syrian families (66 people)
arrived in October under a resettlement
programme announced in 2014.
POLICE AND SECURITY FORCES
There were continuing reports of excessive
use of force by the police.
In June, police used tear gas in close
proximity to a school in the Temucuicui
Mapuche community where young children
were attending class. The action was deemed
“proportionate” by the Supreme Court.
In November, a judge in Collipulli, Malleco
Province, opened an investigation against a
police officer for shooting 17-year-old
Brandon Hernández in December 2016; he
received more than 100 pellet wounds in his
back. The hearing was rescheduled three
times because the accused police officer did
not appear in court.
The Supreme Court reopened the case of
Alex Lemún, who was shot and killed by a
police officer in Ercilla, Malleco Province in
2002. A military court had closed the case in
2004 without finding anyone responsible.
IMPUNITY
Victims of human rights violations during
Chile’s military regime continued to demand
truth, justice and reparation. Although courts