3 Review(s)

When Hissene Habre,the deposed dictator of Chad, was found guilty of crimes against humanity in2016, it was described as 'a watershed for human rights justice in Africa and beyond'.For the first time, an African war criminal had been convicted on African soil. Having followed the trialfrom the very beginning and interviewed many of those involved, journalistCeleste Hicks tells the remarkable story of how Habre was brought tojustice. His conviction followed a heroic 25 year campaign by activists andsurvivors of Habre's atrocities, which succeeded despite internationalindifference, opposition from Habre's allies, and several failed attempts tobring him to trial in Europe and elsewhere. In the face of such overwhelming odds,the conviction of a once untouchable tyrant represents a major turning point, with profound implications for African justice and the future of human rightsactivism globally.