The Trial of Hissne Habr: How the People of Chad Brought a Tyrant to Justice [Hardcover]

When Hissène Habré, deposed dictator of Chad, was found guilty of crimes against humanity in 2016, it was described as a watershed for human rights justice in Africa and beyond. For the first time, an African war criminal had been convicted on African soil.
Having followed the trial from the very beginning and interviewed many of those involved, journalist Celeste Hicks tells the remarkable story of how Habré was brought to justice. His conviction followed a heroic twenty-five-year campaign by activists and survivors of Habré’s atrocities. They succeeded despite international indifference, opposition from Habré’s allies, and several failed attempts to bring him to trial outside of Africa. In the face of such overwhelming odds, the conviction of a once untouchable tyrant represents a major turning point, with profound implications for African justice and the future of human rights activism globally.

A former BBC correspondent,Celeste Hicksis now an independent journalist specializing in the Sahel and North Africa. She is the author ofAfrica’s New Oil: Power, Pipelines and Future Fortunes, also published by Zed.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. From the presidential palace to Ouakam
2. The long road to Dakar
3. The Extraordinary African Chambers
4. Healing at home
5. The international context
Conclusion
 
Bibliography
Interviews
Notes
Index
 

“This is a story that had to be told, of hell on earth and humanity’s determination to fight back. A wonderful account of a campaign that achieved justice after twenty-five years.”