Press Release
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has monitored that the Second Criminal Division of the Tunis Primary Court sentenced former prison officer and blogger Thamer Bdida, along with a second defendant, to nine years in prison on charges of fraud, theft, and abuse of office, with an order for immediate enforcement.
According to a statement from the spokesperson of the Primary Court, the case began following a notification from a telecommunications company, which reported that an individual was in possession of several membership cards from the National Union of Internal Security Forces, along with copies of national ID cards belonging to security officers. Allegedly, the defendants intended to use these documents to obtain mobile phones as part of an agreement between the union and the company, prompting the public prosecutor to open an investigation and bring the defendants to trial.
Calls to halt the sentence:
CFJ expresses concern that this case may be part of a series of judicial prosecutions targeting human rights defenders and activists who voice critical opinions about official institutions. The committee points out that targeting public figures and activists sends negative messages about the state of freedoms in the country, especially amid the rising number of politically charged cases aimed at silencing opposition voices.
In light of these developments, CFJ denounces the ruling and the judicial course taken in this case, calling on Tunisian authorities to cease targeting activists and human rights defenders. The committee urges the cancellation of the sentence against Thamer Bdida and calls for the establishment of a safe legal and civic environment, allowing citizens and civil society to freely exercise their rights without threats, while ensuring protection for human rights defenders against discrimination or arbitrary targeting.
