Officials say Habre, along with 11 rebels, received death sentences Friday from the court on charges of crimes against the state.
A Chadian commission of inquiry concluded Habre killed tens of thousands of political opponents during his eight years in power until he was ousted in 1990.
The former president has lived in exile in Senegal since his overthrow and is currently awaiting trial there on charges of torture and murder after the government in Dakar came under pressure to prosecute the former dictator.
Among the other men sentenced to death Friday are rebel leaders Mahamat Nouri and Timane Erdimi, the cousin of the current president of Chad, Idriss Deby.
The rebels remain free in the east of the oil producing country after mounting two attacks on the Chadian capital.
Refugees and militia freely cross the border between Chad and the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur. Both countries accuse each other of supporting rebel groups.
Habre has also been indicted by a Belgian court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity under a law that allows the European country to prosecute such crimes wherever they are committed. But the African Union wants him to be tried in Senegal.
Earlier this year, Senegal's parliament amended the country's constitution to allow national courts to try crimes against humanity and war crimes, opening the way for the eventual trial of Habre.
No date has been set for the trial and many believe it could still be years away.
/>A Chadian commission of inquiry concluded Habre killed tens of thousands of political opponents during his eight years in power until he was ousted in 1990.
The former president has lived in exile in Senegal since his overthrow and is currently awaiting trial there on charges of torture and murder after the government in Dakar came under pressure to prosecute the former dictator.
Among the other men sentenced to death Friday are rebel leaders Mahamat Nouri and Timane Erdimi, the cousin of the current president of Chad, Idriss Deby.
The rebels remain free in the east of the oil producing country after mounting two attacks on the Chadian capital.
Refugees and militia freely cross the border between Chad and the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur. Both countries accuse each other of supporting rebel groups.
Habre has also been indicted by a Belgian court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity under a law that allows the European country to prosecute such crimes wherever they are committed. But the African Union wants him to be tried in Senegal.
Earlier this year, Senegal's parliament amended the country's constitution to allow national courts to try crimes against humanity and war crimes, opening the way for the eventual trial of Habre.
No date has been set for the trial and many believe it could still be years away.
