Chad

The Definition of Terrorism in Domestic Law

Chad has dedicated legislation from 2015 on terrorism, which was revised in 2020. The 2020 Law defines acts of terrorism as follows:

a) any act or threat of an act of violence likely to endanger the life, physical integrity, freedoms of a person or a group of people, which causes or may cause damage to private or public property, natural resources, environment or cultural heritage, and committed with intent:

1) to intimidate, cause terror, compel conduct, coerce or induce any government, organization, institution, population or group thereof, to initiate or abstain from any initiative, to adopt or renounce a particular position or to act according to certain principles;

2) to disrupt the normal functioning of public services, the provision of essential services to the populations, or to create a crisis situation within the populations.Art. 2(1), 2020 Law on the Suppression of Terrorism.

Adherence to Global and Regional Terrorism Treaties

Chad has adhered to only one of five main United Nations treaties on terrorism. It is one of only seven States that has not ratified the 1999 Terrorist Financing Convention.

Article 225 of the 2018 Constitution states that “international treaties or agreements duly ratified have since the date of their publication a superior authority to that of national legislation, pending reciprocity”.

Chad has adhered to one of the African Union treaties on terrorism.

Laws and Penalties for Terrorist Offences

Chad's Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty for terrorist offences in 2020. The maximum penalty for terrorist crimes is now life imprisonment.Art. 3, 2020 Law on the Suppression of Terrorism.

Counterterrorism Capacities and Penalties at Domestic Level

A 2015 decree established a judicial antiterrorist unit.Le decret N° 1759/PR/2015 du 18 Aout 2015 portant creation d'un Pool judiciaire antiterrorisme.