DAKAR, Senegal — Hissène Habré, the former president of Chad who was found guilty of crimes against humanity, has been temporarily set free from his prison cell in Senegal.

Mr. Habré, 78, was convicted in 2015 of multiple crimes during his leadership of the West African country in the 1980s, including killings, torture and sex crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison.

His legal team had requested his release, arguing that the risk of his being infected with the coronavirus was high in jail.

The Senegalese authorities granted him a 60-day release on humanitarian grounds, but he will be kept under house arrest during those two months.