The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) condemns the ruling issued by the 17th Criminal Chamber of the Tunis Court of Appeal, sentencing human rights lawyer and journalist Sania Al-Dahmani to one and a half years in prison. It calls the ruling “unjust and unjustified” and considers it a violation of freedom of expression and human rights in Tunisia.
The committee expresses deep concern over the “ongoing deterioration of public freedoms in the country” and warns that the Tunisian judiciary continues to issue prison sentences against journalists and activists based on Decree 54, which faces widespread human rights criticism for restricting freedom of expression.
CFJ states that Al-Dahmani faces conviction due to her media statements regarding the issue of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Tunisia. It notes that her trial reflects a growing trend of targeting critical voices and denounces her arrest and prosecution in five other cases under the same decree, which heightens concerns about escalating repression and restrictions on press and political freedoms.
CFJ calls on all democratic forces and defenders of freedoms in Tunisia to resist the increasing authoritarian crackdown and demand fair trials based on principles of justice and the presumption of innocence. The committee emphasizes the need to respect judicial independence and ensure freedom of opinion and expression in accordance with international conventions.