Human Rights Arrest

Warrant issued for ex-Chad leader.

Hissene Habre's regime is accused of murders and torture. Belgium has issued an international arrest warrant for the former President of Chad, Hissene Habre, charging him with atrocities while in office. Mr Habre, who led Chad from 1982 to 1990, now lives in exile in Senegal. The warrant relates to the activities of his intelligence service, which is accused of arbitrary arrests, mass murder and systematic torture. It was issued under Belgian law, which allows prosecutions for crimes against humanity wherever they were committed.

Belgium has also made an official extradition request for Mr Habre to the authorities in Senegal. Mr Habre, 63, ruled the former French colony of Chad for eight years until deposed by the current leader, President Idriss Deby. Human rights groups accuse Mr Habre's regime of some 40,000 executions and the torture of 200,000 people.