Latest news with #AhmedSouab
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Tunisia: UN Experts Alarmed By Deteriorating Human Rights Situation Of Lawyers
GENEVA (14 July 2025) – UN experts* today expressed alarm at the situation of lawyers in Tunisia, noting a serious deterioration in the last year. 'Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia and could jeopardise the right to a fair trial,' the experts said. The experts noted that lawyer Ahmed Souab was arrested on 21 April 2025, following critical comments made publicly about the recent trial of several opposition figures. Souab was defending some of the clients who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for charges characterised as 'conspiracy against State security'. Lawyer Sonia Dahmani was reportedly violently detained at the premises of the Tunisian Bar Association by masked men in May 2024 and is facing five criminal cases all initiated under Decree-Law 2022-54 on 'cybercrime' before the Tunis First Instance Court solely for stating her opinion publicly. Dahmani was sentenced in January 2025 to 18 months in prison for her comments in a TV show, and this June, she received an additional two-year prison sentence. The experts also deplored other reported cases of legal professionals in the country who have been criminally accused, and even sentenced to long prison terms, solely for defending their clients and for expressing their opinion publicly such as Dalila Msaddak, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hamami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi. 'The measures taken directly interfere with the independence of the legal profession, undermining the ability of lawyers to represent their clients,' the experts said. 'They appear designed to ensure critics of the Executive are silenced.' The experts stressed that free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of State power, protection of due process and fair trial rights. 'We call on Tunisia to comply with international standards providing that lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. They should not face prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,' they said. 'Like all human beings, lawyers are entitled to freedom of expression and opinion.' The experts have been in contact with the Government of Tunisia regarding their concerns. Note: *The experts: Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. The Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council's independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.
Zawya
a day ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Tunisia: United Nations (UN) experts alarmed by deteriorating human rights situation of lawyers
UN experts* today expressed alarm at the situation of lawyers in Tunisia, noting a serious deterioration in the last year. 'Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia and could jeopardise the right to a fair trial,' the experts said. The experts noted that lawyer Ahmed Souab was arrested on 21 April 2025, following critical comments made publicly about the recent trial of several opposition figures. Souab was defending some of the clients who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for charges characterised as 'conspiracy against State security'. Lawyer Sonia Dahmani was reportedly violently detained at the premises of the Tunisian Bar Association by masked men in May 2024 and is facing five criminal cases all initiated under Decree-Law 2022-54 on 'cybercrime' before the Tunis First Instance Court solely for stating her opinion publicly. Dahmani was sentenced in January 2025 to 18 months in prison for her comments in a TV show, and this June, she received an additional two-year prison sentence. The experts also deplored other reported cases of legal professionals in the country who have been criminally accused, and even sentenced to long prison terms, solely for defending their clients and for expressing their opinion publicly such as Dalila Msaddak, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hamami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi. 'The measures taken directly interfere with the independence of the legal profession, undermining the ability of lawyers to represent their clients,' the experts said. 'They appear designed to ensure critics of the Executive are silenced.' The experts stressed that free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of State power, protection of due process and fair trial rights. 'We call on Tunisia to comply with international standards providing that lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. They should not face prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,' they said. 'Like all human beings, lawyers are entitled to freedom of expression and opinion.' The experts have been in contact with the Government of Tunisia regarding their concerns. *The experts: Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. The Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council's independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
News24
2 days ago
- Politics
- News24
UN experts accuse Tunisia of targeting lawyers
UN-appointed experts accused Tunisian authorities on Monday of wrongly jailing lawyers in the country to silence dissent. The special rapporteurs cited several cases of lawyers who they said had been prosecuted and even imprisoned over cases they had pleaded or statements they had made. 'Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia,' the experts said in a joint statement. They cited the case of lawyer Ahmed Souab, who was detained on terrorism-related charges in April after claiming that judges were under political pressure to hand opposition figures hefty sentences in a recent mass trial. The experts said this and several other cases they detailed 'appear designed to ensure critics of the executive are silenced'. President Kais Saied, elected in 2019, has ruled Tunisia by decree since a 2021 power grab. The UN experts urged Tunisia to see that 'lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference'. They said they had informed the Tunisian government of their concerns. The statement was issued by Margaret Satterthwaite, special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. UN special rapporteurs are independent experts mandated by the Human Rights Council to report their findings. They do not speak for the United Nations itself.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
UN experts condemn Tunisia for jailing lawyers over free speech
The special rapporteurs noted multiple incidents in which attorneys were arrested and even imprisoned for pleading or making remarks read more UN experts accused Tunisian authorities on Monday of wrongfully imprisoning attorneys in order to stifle criticism. The special rapporteurs noted multiple incidents in which attorneys were arrested and even imprisoned for pleading or making remarks. 'Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia,' according to a joint statement from the experts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They referenced the instance of Ahmed Souab, a lawyer who was arrested on terrorism-related charges in April after stating that judges were under political pressure to sentence opposition leaders harshly in a recent mass trial. The experts said this and several other cases they detailed 'appear designed to ensure critics of the executive are silenced'. President Kais Saied, elected in 2019, has ruled Tunisia by decree since a 2021 power grab. The UN experts urged Tunisia to see that 'lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference'. They said they had informed the Tunisian government of their concerns. The statement was issued by Margaret Satterthwaite, special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. UN special rapporteurs are independent experts mandated by the Human Rights Council to report their findings. They do not speak for the United Nations itself.
Reuters
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Tunisians protest against President Saied after a crackdown on critics
TUNIS, April 25 (Reuters) - Tunisians took to the streets on Friday in a mass protest demanding democracy, freedoms, and an end to arbitrary detention of critics and opponents, escalating pressure on President Kais Saied's government. The government has come under widespread criticism for a crackdown on dissent following the arrest of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, opens new tab, and prison sentences against opposition leaders on conspiring charges last week. Under the slogan "Free Tunisia, Free Ahmed Souab," protesters marched from the headquarters of the Journalists' union and reached Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital, where hundreds of riot police were deployed. They chanted slogans such as, "It's your turn, Saied, dictator," and "The people want the fall of the regime," a slogan chanted by protesters in 2011 when former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted by weeks of protests. Protesters held up pictures of imprisoned journalists, politicians, and lawyers, including Souab, a vocal critic of Saied. Souab's arrest sparked widespread anger among political parties, civil society and rights groups, which said the move was a dangerous escalation of a crackdown on dissent and marked a further entrenchment of the country's authoritarian government. The opposition says Saied has had full control over the judiciary since he dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. He dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council and fired dozens of judges in 2022. They described the move as a coup. France, Germany and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights criticised the lengthy sentences against opposition leaders and businessmen on conspiracy charges last week, saying the conditions for a fair trial were not met. Forty people were prosecuted in the trial, which started in March. More than 20 have fled abroad since being charged. Lawyers said the maximum sentence was 66 years for businessman Kamel Ltaif, while opposition politician Khyam Turki received a 48-year sentence. Saied said in 2023 that the politicians were "traitors and terrorists" and that judges who would acquit them were their accomplices.
