UN Experts Raise Alarm Over Worsening Situation for Lawyers in Tunisia
UN Experts Raise Alarm Over Worsening Situation for Lawyers in Tunisia
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United Nations human rights experts have expressed serious concern over the deteriorating conditions faced by lawyers in Tunisia over the past year, Jurist News reported. Since June 2024, more than 60 lawyers have been subjected to criminal investigations, with charges including spreading fake news and offending public officials, often based on broadly defined laws.
Notable arrests include prominent lawyers Ahmed Souab, Sonia Dahmani, Dalila Msaddak, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hamami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi. Reports highlight that harassment against lawyers takes multiple forms such as criminal prosecution, physical aggression, and legal restrictions. Convicted lawyers face harsh penalties, including long prison terms and heavy fines.
The UN experts urged Tunisia to adhere to international standards ensuring that lawyers can perform their professional duties without intimidation, harassment, or improper interference. They emphasized that lawyers, like all individuals, are entitled to freedom of expression and opinion.
This crackdown follows a tightening political climate since President Kais Saied’s 2021 decree rule. Earlier in 2024, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists condemned Tunisia’s use of fake news and counter-terrorism laws to target lawyers. The Tunisian Lawyers Council also staged a national strike after police raided the bar association headquarters and arrested a government critic.
