Skip links

RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

UNDER THREAT

IN THE BIRTHPLACE OF

THE ARAB SPRING

Read more

Iconic photo of the Tunisian Parliament building being barricaded by military vehicles, one day after Kais Saied’s coup on 25th July 2021 when he suspended parliament and dismissed the government.

Latest Developments

Ayachi Zammel’s Release Denied, Case Postponed by Court of Appeal

Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Refusal to Release Judge Tayeb Rached and Postponement of the Case Until December

Six-Month Prison Sentence for Lotfi Mraihi for Spreading False News

Rejection of Request to Release Defendants in “Facilitation of Travel to Conflict Zones” Case

Rejection of Request to Release Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher and Postpone His Trial

Status Update – Mohamed Boughalleb

Prison Sentence Against Abir Moussi Reduced to 16 Months in the Case of the Independent Supreme Election Authority

Latest Articles

Ayachi Zammel’s Release Denied, Case Postponed by Court of Appeal

Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Refusal to Release Judge Tayeb Rached and Postponement of the Case Until December

Six-Month Prison Sentence for Lotfi Mraihi for Spreading False News

Rejection of Request to Release Defendants in “Facilitation of Travel to Conflict Zones” Case

Rejection of Request to Release Former Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher and Postpone His Trial

Read other articles

Victims of Human Rights Abuses in Tunisia

Jaouhar Ben Mbarek

Yassine Ayari

Kamel Ltaief

Chaïma Issa

Noureddine Boutar

Abdelhamid Jelassi

Issam Chebbi

Lazhar Akremi

Khayam Turki

Seifeddine Makhlouf

Status update

Follow-Up on the Health Status of Detained Journalist Mohamed Boughalleb
Act Now

Special Reports - Elections 2024

Kais Saied Sets "Electoral Locks" and Eliminates Most of his Competitors

Tunisia is living through a bleak presidential election (2024) and a dull atmosphere due to legal and political restrictions and judicial prosecutions of the competitors of Kais Saied – the current president – for the presidency.

All forms of restrictions have affected the electoral climate, which is tinged with fear and uncertainty, which has affected the course of the electoral process and its integrity and led to the exclusion of a number of important candidates.

Read the full report

Take action now and make a difference!

RACHED GHANNOUCHI

Head of Parliament
Act Now!
Help free the Head of Parliament and other political prisoners.

LEÏLA JAFFEL

Justice Minister
Act Now!
Learn about Leïla Jaffel's crimes against the Justice System.

KAIS SAIED

New dictator
Act Now!
Who is Kais Saied, the man who destroyed a nascent democracy?

JOHN KEANE

Academics' petition
Act Now!
US and EU academics' open letter and see the list of signatories.
We campaign for Re-Democratizing Tunisia and Re-Kindling the Arab Spring of Freedom and Dignity.

We are a group of Tunisians defending human rights and the gains of the 2011 Revolution. We seek to defend all Tunisians and enable them to exercise their rights and prevent any violations of their freedom.

Legal Action Against Regime Officials

Lawsuits Against Kais Saied's Regime
READ MORE
Legal Files
READ MORE
Reports of Human Rights Organizations
READ MORE
"Accountability for state-sponsored human rights violations is crucial for establishing the rule of law and preventing future abuses. When perpetrators are held accountable, it sends a powerful message that human rights abuses will not be tolerated, contributing to a culture of respect for human rights."
Amnesty International
عربية
Français
Icon-x Facebook Instagram Tiktok Youtube

Call to Action

Website petition: Freedom for prisoners of conscience and activists in Tunisia!

Tunisia is no longer the Arab exception that inspired the world in 2011 with a heroic revolution that overthrew the rule of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled for nearly 23 years after seizing power on November 7, 1987, in a coup against Habib Bourguiba.

In a similar and perhaps more dangerous move, on the night of July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied carried out a “constitutional coup” in accordance with his personal interpretation of Article 80 of the 2014 Revolutionary Constitution, announcing that he had taken a set of exceptional measures due to the “imminent danger” that threatens Tunisia without providing any details or reasons.

In accordance with these measures, Saied dismissed the government and the prime minister Hichem Mechichi who was present at the National Security Council that night at the Carthage Palace, and claimed that he had contacted the Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi (leader of the Ennahdha party) to consult with him in accordance with what is stipulated by the constitution, a claim which Ghannouchi denied since the call was general and did not include anything about exceptional measures or any consultation on the matter. The president suspended Parliament and later dissolved it in March 2022.

Not only did Saied seek to bypass his powers and the articles of the Constitution, which he swore to protect before the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, but he went on to dismiss and change the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council after redefining the judiciary it as a “function” rather than an independent authority. He further replaced members of the Supreme Electoral Commission in preparation for the referendum he held in order to vote on a constitution that he wrote himself after dismissing the proposals of the drafting committee he had himself appointed. Then legislative elections were held over two rounds, in which the participation rate did not exceed 8% of the total number of voters, with the Election Commission later announcing that it had reached 11%, which is the lowest participation rate in Tunisia and globally.

On February 11, President Saied’s regime launched a campaign of protests that has not stopped since, against political leaders, media figures, journalists, judges and senior officials and civil servants, for charges of “conspiring against the security of the state and committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic,” in addition to other charges that were referred to the military prosecution, leading one to wonder about the implication of the Tunisian army in the actions taken by Saied.

The arbitrary arrests were marred by several procedural violations amid criticism from prominent international organizations and observatories in the field of human rights. The standards of litigation and detention period and conditions were not respected. Prosecution and harassment sometimes extended to the detainees’ families, and no evidence, and in many cases, no charges against them were presented.

Moreover trade unions and political parties continue to be subjected to constant harassment and restrictions. Saied continues to target all “intermediary bodies” accusing them of “collaboration” or “treason”. Civil society associations have also been subjected to prosecution, arbitrary arrests and deprivation from representation, in a context of of increasing violence in society due to the authorities’ adoption of racist and discriminatory speeches and rhetoric inciting infighting and violating human dignity.

In light of the above, we, the undersigned, demand the following:

Call for the immediate release of all political detainees, immediately and unconditionally. We also urge the Tunisian authorities to recognize the national and the international human rights treaties they have ratified.
Call on the Tunisian authorities to stop dismantling the nascent democracy and put an end to unfair trials and prosecutions against political opponents of the regime and anyone who criticises it.
Call on all activists and observers to join the national movement for restoring democracy and ending authoritarian rule that has taken Tunisia back to despotism, injustice, and violations of rights and freedoms.

The Public Prosecution opens an investigation against Thamer Bdida on charges related to terrorism and incitement