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The United Nations Condemns the Deteriorating Situation of Lawyers in Tunisia and Their Targeting for Their Opinions

July 15, 2025 – Several experts from the United Nations Human Rights Council expressed deep concern about the deterioration in the situation of lawyers in Tunisia over the past year, noting a “worrying trend of targeting lawyers for their opinions or for defending their clients,” which constitutes a serious violation of the principles of fair trial and judicial independence.

The statement, issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, emphasized that the arrest of lawyer and former judge Ahmed Souab in April 2025, following his public statements regarding the trial of opponents of the regime, is a dangerous example of the use of the judiciary to suppress critical voices. The statement also addressed the case of lawyer Sonia Dahmani, who was arrested and prosecuted for her media statements. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison in January 2025, followed by an additional two-year prison sentence in June 2025 under Decree 54.

The statement also referred to the cases of several lawyers, including Dalila Msaddek, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hammami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi, who are facing criminal prosecutions that experts described as “retaliatory” simply for expressing their opinions or participating in the defense of activists and dissidents.

Background of the case:

Since July 25, 2021, Tunisia has witnessed a significant increase in the number of cases targeting lawyers, judges, journalists, and political opponents, in the context of a repressive campaign characterized by the expansion of executive powers and the use of Decree 54 to prosecute dissidents on vague charges related to security or insulting institutions.

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory has previously documented several violations against lawyers, including unjustified prosecutions, raids on the headquarters of professional bodies, and the issuance of judgments in absentia without respect for basic fair trial guarantees.

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory calls for:

  • The cessation of all retaliatory judicial prosecutions against lawyers and political opponents.
  • The immediate release of all lawyers arbitrarily detained.
  • Respecting Tunisia’s international obligations regarding freedom of expression and the right to defense, including the UN Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
  • Calling on bar associations and judicial bodies to take a clear stance against attempts to silence the legal profession.
  • Urging the Human Rights Council and UN Special Rapporteurs to continue monitoring the situation in Tunisia and documenting violations committed.

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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.