Chad: The Action Front for the Republic Federation (FFAF); arrest of its leader, Ngarlejy Yorongar; list of members arrested; and treatment of FFAR members by the government
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TCD30970.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: The Action Front for the Republic Federation (FFAF); arrest of its leader, Ngarlejy Yorongar; list of members arrested; and treatment of FFAR members by the government, 1 February 1999, TCD30970.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abfac.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Amnesty International describes Ngarlejy Yorongar, leader of the Front des forces d'action pour la République (FFAR), as a "prominent political opponent" and "major critic of the government and the president of the Republic" (AI 29 May 1998). On 26 May 1998, representatives of the National Assembly of Chad reportedly voted to lift Ngarlejy Yorangar's parliamentary immunity after the president of the National Assembly and parliamentary representative of the Union pour le renouveau et la démocratie, Wadal Abdelkader Kamougué, brought a charge of defamation against him (ibid.). Apparently, in an interview with a Chadian paper l'Observateur, Ngarlejy Yorongar had "accused Wadal Abdelkader Kamougué of accepting money...from the oil company Elf, to finance his election campaign to become president of the National Assembly" (AI 29 May 1998). "Madame Sy Koumbo Singa Gali, a journalist and director of the newspaper, and Polycarpe Togamissi, a journalist from l'Observateur, who conducted the interview with Ngarlejy Yorongar, were also arrested and charged with complicity in the defamation (AI 19 June 1998). They were reportedly released provisionally on 12 June (ibid.).
On 3 June 1998, Ngarlejy Yorongar was reportedly arrested and formally charged with defamation of the President of the Republic and the President of the National Assembly, and detained at the maison d'arret (detention centre) in N'djamena (AI 19 June 1998). Although he was suffering from gastro-intestinal infection, AI repotts that he was denied access to medical care (ibid.).
On 20 July 1998, Ngarlejy Yorongar was convicted of defamation and sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 CFA (22 July 1998). Lawyers for the defence were denied access to the case files, and reportedly withdrew in protest when they were prevented from speaking in court (ibid.). Apparently Ngarlejy's sentence is one year longer "than the maximum sentence required by law and longer than the protection required by law and longer than the prosecution had requested" (ibid.). The two journalists were released and ordered to pay a fine of 1,000,000 CFA each although "the maximum allowed by law for this charge is 500,000 CFA" (ibid.).
Although Ngarlejy Yorongar received treatment for the gastro-intestinal infection, Amnesty International expressed concern for his health in 1998 because he needed urgent hospitalization for malaria and typhoid fever contracted in detention (ibid., 29 Oct. 1998).
Amnesty International and Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH) state that both real and suspected members of FFAR have been victims of human rights violations including arbitrary arrest and torture (AI 19 Mar. 1998; 27 Mar. 1998; 1998, 127; 19-26 Mar.1998).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Amnesty International. 1998. Amnesty International Report 1998. New York: Amnesty International USA.
_____. 29 October 1998. Urgent Action: Chad: Ngarlegy Yorongar le Moïban(formelrly spelt Ngarlegy) - leader and sole parliamentary representative of the opposition party, Front d'action pour la Répubique-fédération, Action for the Republic-Federation. (AI Index AFR 20/13/98). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 22 July 1998. Urgent Action: Chad: Ngarlegy Yorongar le Moïban - leader and sole parliamentary representative of the opposition party, Front d'action pour la Répubique-fédération (FAR), Action for the Republic-Federation. (AI Index: AFR 22/08/1998). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 19 June 1998. Urgent Action: Chad: Ngarlegy Yorongar le Moïban - leader and sole parliamentary representative of the opposition party, Front d'action pour la Répubique-fédération (FAR), Action for the Republic-Federation. (AI Index: AFR 20/07/98). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 29 May 1998. Urgent Action: Chad: Ngarlegy Yorongar le Moïban - leader and sole parliamentary representative of the opposition party, Front d'action pour la Répubique-fédération (FAR), Action for the Republic-Federation. (AI Index: AFR 20/06/98). London: Amnesty International.
La Lettre de la fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH). 19-26 March 1998. Nos. 737-738. "Tchad : Les massacres continuent."