All six French aid workers convicted of a mass kidnapping in Chad have been freed in France, hours after the Chadian president formally pardoned the group, the French Justice Ministry said.

At least three of six French aid workers convicted in a mass kidnapping case in Chad walked out of prison today, hours after the Chadian president pardoned the group.

Six French charity workers sentenced to eight years’ forced labour in Chad for trying to kidnap 103 children were behind bars today, shortly after arriving back in France.

A Chadian court sentenced six French aid workers to eight years of forced labour after convicting them of trying to kidnap 103 African children.