Habre dragged to court in second day of war crimes trial

July 21, 2015 9:48 AM

On the first day of the trial on Monday, Habre, 72, was forced to appear in the courtroom where with some supporters, he disrupted the hearing and had to be removed and the court adjourned.

Former Chad President Hissene Habre (R) raises his fist in the air as he leaves a court in Dakar escorted by a Senegalese policeman November 25, 2005. REUTERS/Aliou Mbaye

Former Chadian president Hissene Habre was again forcefully brought into a special court in Dakar on Tuesday by security officials on the second day of his trial for crimes against humanity.

He remained silent when the presiding judge asked for his lawyers.

The proceedings were suspended when his lawyers did not show after several minutes and the presiding judge appointed three lawyers to represent him.

Dressed in a white robe, a matching turban and clutching prayer beads, Habre sat silently alone on a chair in front of the panel of judges, surrounded by eight security personnel.

Habre has refused to recognise the Extraordinary African Chambers (CAE) established with the backing of the African Union to try him.

Habre's trial caps a 15-year battle by victims and rights campaigners to bring the former strongman to justice in Senegal, where he fled after being toppled in a coup.

The case against Habre turns on whether he personally ordered the killing and torture of political opponents and ethnic rivals.