Chad opposition leaders held again

President Deby won 67% of the vote in the election

Chad's six unsuccessful presidential candidates were arrested on Wednesday just two days after police detained them for an hour.

Incumbent President Idriss Deby recorded an overwhelming victory in 20 May elections but the opposition candidates described the process as flawed.

Mr Kebzabo: arrested for the second time

The six men were picked up hours before the funeral of an opposition supporter who was shot by the police.

The funeral was expected to be a focus for opposition grievances.

The six men were originally all detained for questioning by police on Monday.

One of the men, Saleh Kebzabo, of the National Union for Development and Renewal, said an elite police unit had arrested them at his home.

Opposition meeting

The six men were meeting just hours after it was announced that Chad's incumbent President Idriss Deby had won an outright majority in the first round of voting, making a second round unnecessary.

The six opposition candidates had issued a joint statement last Thursday alleging fraud in the 20 May poll, but foreign observers said the vote appeared to be fair.

Chad results

Idriss Deby: 67.35%

Ngarlejy Yorongar: 13.94%

Saleh Kebzabo: 6.53%

The Independent National Electoral Commission said on Monday that Idriss Deby had taken 67.35% of the vote, well ahead of his nearest rivals.

Ngarlejy Yorongar, of the Republic Action Federation, won 13.94% of the vote, while Saleh Kebzabo took 6.53%.

The country's constitutional council has until 18 June to confirm the electoral commission's figures.

Allegations of fraud

The first presidential poll in 1996 was marred by accusations of electoral fraud.

Mr Deby seized power in a coup in 1990, then stood for election six years later.

His country is one of the poorest in the world, but Mr Deby should benefit from an unexpected financial transformation of the country.

Large oil reserves have been discovered in the south-west of the country and the first exports are expected to begin in the latter half of his new presidential term.

An American oil company is building a pipeline through to the Atlantic coastline of neighbouring Cameroon.