Ex-Chad leader Habre to appeal war crimes conviction

DAKAR: Chad’s former president Hissene Habre was to begin an appeal yesterday against his life sentence for war crimes and crimes against humanity after his conviction was hailed as a landmark for Africa.

The Extraordinary African Chambers, a body created by Senegal and the African Union, sentenced Habre in May to life behind bars, an unprecedented ruling that was seen as a blow to the impunity long enjoyed by repressive rulers.

In July, Habre was further ordered to pay up to 30,000 euros ( US$ 33,000) to each victim who suffered rape, arbitrary detention and imprisonment during his rule, as well as to their relatives.

The 74-year- old has refused to recognise the court’s authority but his court-appointed lawyers requested an appeal on his behalf.

“We were motivated to appeal by violations of the law and (the rights) of the defence and procedural errors,” lawyer Mbaye Sene told AFP, saying he didn’t want to reveal their “s trategy”.

It was not clear whether Habre, who ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990, would be in the dock yesterday, with court spokesman Marcel Mendy saying it was ‘unknown’.

Ibrahima Diawara, another of Habre’s lawyers, said his client was not planning to appear but could be compelled to do so by the court.

“Habre believes that this does not concern him at all. He will not appear. We will see whether the court will use force to force him to come,” Diawara told AFP. — AFP