80 protesting minors arrested in Chad released

In Chad, 80 minors who had been arrested last October during bloody demonstrations in the capital, N'Djamena, have been granted provisional bail by the authorities.

The minors were part of a group of hundreds of people who were arrested by the police and taken to a high-security jail.

"When I saw him today I jumped on him to kiss him and all that. At home, I will ask him questions but as he is safe and sound that's the most essential thing right now", said Assoum Christiane, guardian of one of the arrested minors.

According to the authorities, a total of 601 people were arrested. 

After a four-day trial, the prosecutor announced on Monday that 262 were jailed for between two and three years.

Denemadji Ivette, the older sister of one of the arrested minors added "I’m glad to see my boy again, he’s probably been gone for two months. At first we were unhappy, we cried everywhere but thank God we found him and we are very happy".

Outlawed demonstrations were held on October 20th to mark the date when the military had initially promised to hand over power to civilians -- a timeline that has now been extended by two years.

Strongman General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno accused the demonstrators of "insurrection" and attempting to stage a coup.

Thirty-eight-year-old Deby, took power when his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the arid Sahel state for 30 years, died during an operation against rebels in April 2021.