On the night of January 1, 2025, a 17-year-old girl was raped in the Diguel district of the 8th arrondissement of N’Djamena.
The case caused a sensation on the Internet. The victim was returning from the Dary festival at the Palais des Arts et de la Culture. She was rescued by the police and taken to the Chad-China Hospital.
In a press release issued on the morning of January 2, the Ministry of Women and Childhood confirmed the rape incident.
According to it, the 17-year-old girl was apparently gang-raped by unknown assailants on her way back from the Dary festival.
She was taken to the hospital by security forces at 2 a.m. The ministry says it will continue to support the victim and her family while respecting her right to privacy.
In addition, the ministry assures the public that the security services are investigating the incident and searching for the perpetrators who will face the full wrath of the law.
A festival under fire
The Dary Festival, which opened on December 20, 2024, has come under fire. On December 22, the performance of a song entitled “Fais comme Balthazar” (“Do like Balthazar”) provoked outrage among personalities and religious figures, who called for the festival to be scrapped. The festival has also been criticized for the sexual abuse and assault of women.
In several videos posted on TikTok, celebrities urged parents to forbid their daughters or wives from attending the festival.
Despite groveling apologies from the organising committee and the heavy presence of security forces, incidents are regularly reported and have marred the 8th edition of the Dary Festival.
CA/sf/te/lb/as/APA