[8] However, on 20 April it was announced by the military that Déby had been killed in action while leading his country's troops in a battle against rebels calling themselves the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT).

[20] According to Amnesty International, pretrial detentions, systematic bans on gatherings, and attempts to prevent the free exchange of information were rampant in Chad in the leadup to the 2021 elections; they called for the release of activists and others arrested for "disturbing public order".

He claimed in a speech that, instead of posting "authentic and verified" information, social media users engaged in "disinformation and manipulation, thus sowing doubt, panic and psychosis.

[23] The Africa Center for Strategic Studies stated that the presidential election was "expected to be a largely ceremonial affair given the highly limited space for the political opposition to operate".

[24] Columnist Stephen Kafeero agreed, focusing on the incumbent president's role, writing for Quartz Africa: "Chad is a classic example of what elections under authoritarian regimes often look like.

[11] After the death of his father, Mahamat Déby Itno formed the Transitional Military Council with the support of France, which said that it was needed under "extraordinary circumstances" to stabilize the country.