CHAD Republic of Chad Head of state: Idriss Déby Itno Head of government: Albert Pahimi Padacké The armed group Boko Haram continued to commit abuses around Lake Chad. Chadian authorities repeatedly banned peaceful assemblies and arrested and prosecuted human rights defenders, activists and journalists, some of whom became prisoners of conscience. The right to freedom of association was violated with unlawful restrictions on the right to organize freely, including the criminalization of certain citizens’ associations. More than 408,000 refugees continued to live in dire conditions in camps including in Baga Sola. BACKGROUND Revisions to the Criminal Code were promulgated by President Déby, repealing the death penalty except for “terrorism”, and increasing the minimum age for marriage to 18 years. New powers, including the power to arrest, were provided to the National Security Agency (ANS). A severe economic crisis, following a sharp drop in the price of petrol in recent years, led to austerity measures, public discontent and strikes in sectors including health, education and justice. ABUSES BY ARMED GROUPS The armed group Boko Haram continued to kill, abduct and injure civilians, and to destroy property. On 5 May, Boko Haram members killed at least four civilians and burned 50 houses in Kaiga Kindjiria. On the night of 25 May, a Boko Haram attack on Kirnatchoulma village, in the west of Kaiga Kinjiria, resulted in at least three people being killed and three wounded. On 26 and 27 May, Boko Haram carried out several attacks on the villages of Konguia, Wangui and Kagrerom, in the area of Tchoukoutalia. Amnesty International Report 2017/18 On 30 May a woman was abducted by Boko Haram about 4km from Kaiga Kindjiria. Similar attacks were reported in May and June in other areas including Bodou-Doloum in the Baga Sola sub-prefecture, which resulted in the killing of three people and the abduction of three others. FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY During the year, the authorities banned at least six peaceful assemblies, and those organizing and participating in protests were arrested. On 6 and 15 April respectively, Nadjo Kaina and Bertrand Solloh, leaders of the citizen movement IYINA (“We are tired”), were arrested by ANS agents for calling on citizens to wear red on the anniversary of the 2016 presidential election as a protest against corruption and impunity. They were detained by the ANS without access to their families or lawyers, before being handed over to the judicial police. They were charged with attempted conspiracy and organizing an unauthorized gathering and given a sixmonth suspended sentence. The two men reported being tortured while in detention, including by being suffocated with plastic bags containing chili. On 12 April, Dingamnayal Nely Versinis, president of the organization Collectif Tchadien Contre la Vie Chère, was arrested by ANS agents at the city hall in the capital, N’Djamena. He had called on traders at the N’Djamena Millet Market to strike in protest at an increase in market fees. He was detained without access to his family or lawyer and charged with fraud and using a false identity, before being released on 27 April by the Public Prosecutor on the grounds that he had committed no offence. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION Certain social movements and civil society platforms were banned and the right to strike was restricted in contravention of international law. The citizens’ movement IYINA remained banned and, on 6 January, the Minister of Territorial Administration banned the activities 121