Not less than 20 protesters have been arrested and one shot by Chadien police at the weekend for defying a ban to demonstrate against the junta that came to power after Idriss Deby Itno died fighting rebels.
According to N’Djamena prosecutor Youssouf Tom “… 20 people have been detained by the security forces and a single person was injured by a live bullet.”
He added that the policeman who fired the shot has been arrested and will answer for his action,”
According to reports, security forces had been deployed in numbers across the city to break up protests and gathering in a southern district of the capital N’Djamena where a small group of people were seen burning a French flag in a northern area.
The protesters believed that France, Chad’s former colonial ruler, is a traditional backer of Deby and is seen as supporting the junta that seized power after Deby’s death.
Wakit Tama coordinator Max Loalngar said a dozen people had been hurt, three seriously, and about 15 arrested.
He accused the authorities of “showing bad faith and their war posture when we are asking for an inclusive dialogue to allow all Chadians without exclusion to seek the means for an honourable end to the crisis”.
The Transitional Military Council (CMT) took charge on April 20, the day that Deby’s shock death was announced. It is headed by Deby’s son Mahamat, a four-star general.