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          Court Suspends ex-Chad Dictator's Trial to Ready New Lawyers

   by Associated Press

   The trial of Chad's ex-dictator Hissene Habre was suspended on Tuesday
   until September to allow court-appointed lawyers to prepare his
   defense.

   The Extraordinary African Chambers, established by Senegal and the
   African Union, is trying the former leader of Chad for crimes against
   humanity, war crimes and torture, in an unprecedented case of one
   African country prosecuting the former ruler of another.

   Habre on Tuesday refused representation but Attorney General Mbacke
   Fall said Habre must accept lawyers appointed by the judge, since he
   refused to be represented by his own.

   Three Senegalese lawyers were appointed by the court to represent Habre
   and they were given until Sept. 7 to prepare the defense.

   "The appointed lawyers have a duty to defend Habre. Even if the accused
   refuses to collaborate with the appointed lawyers for him, the
   procedure will continue,'' said Judge Gberdao Gustave Kam.

   Habre has said he does not recognize the special tribunal, dismissing
   it as politically motivated. On Monday, Habre was taken away from court
   by security guards after he and a supporter yelled out, causing chaos.
   He then refused to return, submitting a statement saying he had been
   illegally detained.

   Habre's government was responsible for an estimated 40,000 deaths,
   according to a report published in May 1992 by a 10-member truth
   commission formed by Chad's current President Idriss Deby. The
   commission singled out Habre's political police force for using
   torture.

   In 1990 Habre was overthrown and fled to Senegal, where he was
   eventually brought into custody and charged in 2013.

   Habre risks 30 years in jail if found guilty by the court, which was
   set up to try the ex-leader for the crimes during his rule from
   1982-1990.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/court-suspends-habre-trial-/2872067.html