YAOUNDE, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Former Chadian Prime Minister and opposition leader Succes Masra called for forgiveness and reconciliation hours after being freed from prison under a presidential pardon.
Masra was released on Friday and spoke to supporters at the headquarters of his party, The Transformers, in the capital N'Djamena, in the early hours of Saturday, around 1:50 a.m. local time.
"With an open heart, we forgive all those who have wronged us. We must forgive," Masra told the crowd, adding that he held no grudges.
He was among nine politicians granted clemency by Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno on Friday.
Masra was arrested in May 2025 and sentenced in August 2025 to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay 1 billion CFA francs, about 1.76 million U.S. dollars, after being convicted of inciting hatred and revolt and complicity in murder.
He served as Prime Minister of Chad's transitional government from January to May 2024.
Thanking Mahamat Deby for the pardon, Masra said he was ready to work with the government on reforms.
"We are ready to work with the President of the Republic," he said. ■
