The Trial of Hissein Habré

Abstract

In The Trial of Hissein Habré: The International Crimes of a Former Head of State, Emmanuel Guematcha recounts the trial of Hissein Habré, the former head of state of Chad. Accused of committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and torture while ruling Chad between 1982 and 1990, Hissein Habré was tried in Dakar, Senegal, by the Extraordinary African Chambers. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016 and the sentence was confirmed in 2017. . In a narrative style, Guematcha examines the process that led to this achievement in Africa, including the failed attempts to try Hissein Habré in the Senegalese, Chadian, and Belgian courts. Guematcha discusses the mobilization of victims and the involvement of nongovernmental and international organizations. He describes the particularities of the Extraordinary African Chambers, analyzes the establishment of Hissein Habré’s criminal responsibility, and presents the trial through the testimonies of several victims, witnesses, and experts. These testimonies shed light on what it means for individuals to be subjected to international crimes. The author also questions the impact and significance of the trial in Africa and beyond.