Chad

Chad, a landlocked country in central Africa south of Libya, occupies 1.284 million square kilometers and has a population of 9.3 million people (July 2003 estimate). It was a French colony until 1960, [Page 1000]and since that time it has suffered periods of interethnic warfare and incursion onto its territory by neighboring countries. Security forces acting on behalf of former dictator Hissene Habre brutally tortured tens of thousands of political detainees during his rule from 1982–1990; in 2003 he faced charges in Belgium for crimes against humanity. Successive governments still faced widespread criticism for human rights abuses.

There is little current, reliable information available about law enforcement in Chad. According to the U.S. Department of State, the government maintains tight control over all security forces in Chad to control opposition or dissent, and all are responsible for human rights violations.

During Chad's tumultuous history, many fractious forces performing law enforcement functions changed roles and names. According to the periodical Military Technology, the combined forces of the police, presidential guard, and gendarmerie numbered 5,000 in 2002 (a ratio of 1 for every 1,860 inhabitants), but this does not take into account the large role in internal security played by the armed forces.