At his swimming-pool-turned-prison known as La Piscine, Hissène Habré's regime would torture victims. Across the road were offices used by the American government, which backed Mr Habré’s brutal regime
The despot who ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990 died on August 24th after contracting covid-19. He was 79, and serving a life sentence in Senegal for crimes against humanity.
He made a comeback in 1982, seizing power with the support of America, which saw him as a bulwark against communism and, in particular, Libya. America helped train Mr Habré’s secret police and sent him copious arms. President Ronald Reagan even invited him to the White House . France also helped out, sending troops. Meanwhile, Chadian soldiers massacred civilians. In all Mr Habré is thought to have ordered the killing of some 40,000 people.
Finally, in 2015, Mr Habré was called before a special court in Senegal where 90 witnesses testified against him. Ten months later the judge found him guilty of crimes such as summary execution, torture and rape. A soft ululation from the widows of victims rang out in the courtroom, then cheering and weeping. It was a rare instance of a court in one country successfully prosecuting the former leader of another for crimes against humanity.
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