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Victims of Kais Saied’s Human Rights Violations in Tunisia

This section highlights the victims of violations that individuals from various intellectual and political groups in Tunisia have been subjected to since the Kais Saied regime took power. This section aims to document violations and provide updated information on the various cases that have affected activists, politicians, media professionals, judges, lawyers, bloggers, and businessmen, who have been subjected to arbitrary practices and violations of their basic rights.

A Message to Visitors and Users

“Documenting the stories of victims and continuously updating information is a necessary step towards uncovering the truth and opening the path to justice. We believe that building a free, just, and democratic society begins with recognizing and resisting injustice.”

Sayedd Ferjani

October 5th 2023: An article 15 complaint was filed at the International Criminal Court in The Hague asking for an investigation to be opened into the alleged crimes committed by the Tunisian Government – directed by Kais Saied
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Abir Moussi

Moussi’s official page confirmed that her arrest followed her sit-in in front of the Carthage Palace, because the Presidency of the Republic’s Registry Office rejected her grievance regarding the parliamentary elections.
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Haitham Kehili

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Haitham Al-Kehili accused authorities of blatant violations of the law, including unauthorized surveillance and the kidnapping of his sister.
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Oussama Ghoulam

Arrested on the grounds of writing slogans on the walls calling for the release of the Secretary-General of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi.
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Bouthaina Khelifi

Arrested on the grounds of writing slogans on the walls calling for the release of the Secretary-General of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi.
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Wissem Sghaier

Arrested on the grounds of writing slogans on the walls calling for the release of the Secretary-General of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi.
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Abdel Fattah Al-Taghouti

Lawyer Samir Dilou declarex that the defense team will file a case against anyone who will be revealed by the investigation into the arbitrary detention of Abdel Fattah Al-Taghouti,
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Faouzi Kammoun

On December 22, 2023, the investigating judge at the Financial and Economic Judicial Pole decided to extend the period of pre-trial detention of Faouzi Kammoun.
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Riadh Bettaieb

Lawyer Samir Dilou, a member of the defense committee, pointed out that “some of the main data in the reports of the Financial Analysis Committee were contradictory to what was stated in the decision to open the investigation.
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Mehdi Ben Gharbia

On May 10, 2022, a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Ben Gharbia in Messaadine prison in Tunis.
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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.