Hissene Habre ? who ruled Chad in 1982-90 ? denies all the charges
Mr Habre is accused of ordering the killings of 40,000 people during his rule in the 1980s, charges which he denies.
The court adjourned in July after Mr Habre and his lawyers refused to speak to the judge.
The trial marks the first time one African country has prosecuted the former leader of another.
If he refuses to recognise his newly appointed legal team, the judge will have to decide whether to adjourn proceedings again or try Mr Habre against his will, reports BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy.
A Chadian truth commission found in 1992 that the Habre regime was responsible for 40,000 deaths and disappearances.
In 2005, a court in Belgium issued a warrant for his arrest, claiming universal jurisdiction but, after Senegal referred the issue to the African Union, the AU asked Senegal to try Mr Habre ?on behalf of Africa?.
Source : BBC
