Chad: Move to exclude non-Muslims from public office

Radio France International reported on 13 August 2018 (as quoted by Crux on 28 August 2018), several top Christian officials have been dismissed for refusing to take the religious oath "in the name of Allah the all-powerful". President Idriss Deby of Chad added this obligation to the revised Constitution (in force since 4 May 2018) apparently in a direct attempt to exclude non-Muslims from public office. Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, states: "According to World Christian Database statistics an estimated 57.5% of the population in Chad are Muslim. However, there are also a significant number of Christian citizens - an estimated 35.4% - and prior to its revision, the Constitution provided for freedom of religion and equality before the law without distinction as to religion. Making this sort of amendment to the Constitution in a region that has seen religious and sectarian violence in the past will only exacerbate divisions. Roman Catholic church leaders criticized the planned introduction of the religious oath in April 2018 and have since received threats from government sources."