HRW Habre Case 2011-2012 Human Rights Watch has been working since 1999 with the victims of Chad's exiled former president, Hissène Habré, to bring him to trial. From the beginning Oxfam Novib has supported HRW in this endeavour, first via the West Africa bureau, and later via the pan Africa programme.
Mr. Habré was first indicted in Senegal in 2000 before courts ruled that he could not be tried there. His victims then turned to Belgium and, after a four-year investigation, a Belgian judge in September 2005 issued an international arrest warrant charging Mr. Habré with crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture committed during his 1982-90 rule and requested his extradition. Senegal then asked the African Union to recommend a course of action. On July 2, 2006, the African Union called on Senegal to prosecute Hissène Habré on behalf of Africa, and President Abdoulaye Wade declared that Senegal would do so.
In 2007-2008, Senegal amended its constitution and laws to permit the prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture no matter when and where the acts occurred.
On September 16, 2008, fourteen victims filed complaints with a Senegalese prosecutor accusing Habré of crimes against humanity and torture. Senegal has said, however, that it will not process the complaints until it receives 27 million from the international community for all the costs of the trial. President Wade said in October 2008 that if Senegal did not receive the funding he would make Mr. Habré leave Senegal.
Faced with Senegals inaction, Belgium on February 19, 2009 asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order Senegal to prosecute or extradite Mr. Habré. Belgium also requested the ICJ immediatelyto order Senegal not to allow Habré to leave Senegal pending thecourt's judgment on the merits. On May 28, the court accepted Senegal's formal pledge not to allow Habré to leave Senegal pending its final judgment.
In the meantime, the African Union and European Union have worked with Senegal on a more realistic budget for the court case. On 24 November 2010 a meeting of international donors has taken place, during which they agreed to contribute  8.5 to finance Habrés trial for crimes against humanity.
Currenly Senegalese political will is the only thing that canstand in the way of court proceedings against former Chadian dictator Hissene Habré.

The build up to the prior programme sponsored by the Pan Africa programme, a lot has developed.
The advent of the trial, 25 years after Habré#s fall, is entirely due to the perseverance of Habré#s victims and their nongovernmental organization (NGO) allies led by Human Rights Watch, with the support of Oxfam Novib. When Habré was arrested in July 2013 by the Extraordinary African Chambers, the Toronto Globe and Mail praised the efforts to bring him to trial as #one of the world#s most patient and tenacious campaigns for justice.# The New York Times wrote that the #case has proved unusual for the tenacity of his victims, and of Human Rights Watch, in seeking to bring him to justice.#
The launch of proceedings before the Extraordinary African Chambers has also spurred justice efforts back in Chad, where torture cases have resumed against former agents of Habré#s political police, the president has finally promised compensation to Habré#s victims, and the 1991 recommendations of the National Truth Commission are back on the agenda.
The most difficult and critical part of the long campaign is yet to come, however. In order for the trial to live up to its historic potential, it must be fair, efficient, and transparent. We need to ensure that Habré#s alleged crimes are clearly detailed, his responsibility proved, the verdict based on accepted facts, and the trial widely broadcast to show to Africa and the world that an African court candeliver fair and impartial justice on behalf of African victims.
In addition, we must ensure that the momentum of the #accountability moment# extends from Dakar back to Chad. Habré#s victims, most of whom will not be able to go to Dakar orhave their personal cases taken up by the Extraordinary African Chambers, must not only see that justice is done in Senegal, they must obtain justice in Chad. In the face of an authoritarian Chadian government that is trying to contain the democratic fall-out of the trial, HRW has to work with their Chadian partners to use the trial to expand the political space and strengthen the rule of law in Chad.
We decide to continue to support  Human Rights Watch to sustain its critical role in the International Committee for the Fair Trial of Hissène Habré. We can only continue to play a strong and essential role in this last stage of the campaign.