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15:08 GMT, Friday, 15 August 2008 16:08 UK

Chad ex-leader sentenced to death

Chad's former President Hissene Habre (File photo: 1990)

A court in Chad has sentenced to death former President Hissen Habre for planning to overthrow the government.

Mr Habre was sentenced in absentia along with several rebel leaders, who launched an assault on the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, earlier this year.

Mr Habre, sometimes dubbed "Africa's Pinochet", was deposed in 1990 and lives in exile in Senegal.

He is unlikely to leave Senegal which has been asked by the African Union to try him for alleged rights crimes.

Mr Habre was deposed after eight years in power in an uprising led by current President Idriss Deby, and denies knowledge of the alleged murder and torture of political opponents.

A commission of inquiry said Mr Habre's government was responsible for some 40,000 politically motivated murders and 200,000 cases of torture.

The court in N'Djamena also tried a number of rebel leaders in absentia, which it heard had been working with Mr Habre to overthrow the government.

Mr Deby has been fighting a sporadic rebellion in the east along Chad border with Sudan's Darfur region.




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Related to this story:
Senegal 'ready' for Habre trial (24 Jul 08 |  Africa )
Profile: Chad's Hissene Habre (03 Jul 06 |  Africa )
France to help try Chad ex-leader (27 Jul 07 |  Africa )
Chad arrest comes after 15 years (15 Nov 05 |  Africa )
Chad euphoric at Habre's arrest (17 Nov 05 |  Africa )
Country profile: Chad (25 Jun 08 |  Country profiles )
Scramble for influence in Africa? (26 Jul 07 |  Have Your Say )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Senegalese government
Human Rights Watch
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