Latest news with #Decree54
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Tunisia court sentences lawyer critical of president to two years in prison
A Tunisian court has sentenced Sonia Dhamani, a prominent lawyer and renowned critic of President Kais Saied, to two years in jail, lawyers have said, in a case that rights groups say marks a deepening crackdown on dissent in the North African country. Dhamani's lawyers withdrew from the trial after the judge refused to adjourn the session on Monday, claiming Dhamani was being tried twice for the same act. The court sentenced Dhamani for statements criticising practices against refugees and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Lawyer Bassem Trifi said the verdict was 'a grave injustice'. 'What's happening is a farce. Sonia is being tried twice for the same statement,' said lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi, another lawyer for Dhamani. Dhamani was arrested last year after making comments during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African refugees and migrants in Tunisia. The case was brought under the nation's controversial cybercrime law, Decree 54, which has been widely condemned by international and local rights groups. Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since Saied seized control of most powers, dissolved the elected parliament, and began ruling by decree in 2021 – moves the opposition has described as a coup. Saied rejects the charges and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption. Human rights groups and activists say Saied has turned Tunisia into an open-air prison and is using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents. Saied rejects these accusations, saying he will not be a dictator and seeks to hold everyone accountable equally, regardless of their position or name. Earlier this year, the country carried out a mass trial in which dozens of defendants were handed jail terms of up to 66 years. Critics denounced the trial as politically motivated and baseless. The defendants faced charges including 'conspiracy against state security' and 'belonging to a terrorist group', according to their lawyers. Among those targeted were figures from what was once the biggest party, Ennahda, such as the leader and former Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, and former Minister of Justice Noureddine Bhiri. Tunisia had been celebrated as perhaps the only democratic success of the 2011 'Arab Spring' revolutions, with strong political engagement among its public and civil society members, who frequently took to the airwaves and streets to make their voices heard. The years that followed the revolution, which overthrew long-time autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, saw the growth of a healthy political system with numerous elections declared free and fair by international observers. But a weak economy and the strengthening of anti-democratic forces led to a pushback, capped off by Saied's dismissal of the government and dissolution of parliament.
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
Tunisian court sentences prominent lawyer critical of president to two years
A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced Sonia Dahmani, a prominent lawyer and critic of President Kais Saied, to two years in prison, lawyers said, in a case rights groups say marks a deeping crackdown on dissent in the North African country. Dahmani's lawyers withdrew from the trial after the judge refused to adjourn the session, claiming she was being tried twice for the same act. The court sentenced Dahmani for statements criticising policies against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Lawyer Bassem Trifi said that the court sentenced Dhamni to two years, calling the verdict "a grave injustice". "What's happening is a farce. Sonia is being tried twice for the same statement," lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi, another lawyer for Dahmani, told Reuters. Dahmani was arrested last year after making comments during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia. The case was brought under Tunisia's controversial cybercrime law, Decree 54, which has been widely condemned by international and local rights groups. Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since Saied seized control of most powers, dissolved the elected parliament, and began ruling by decree in 2021, moves the opposition has described as a coup. Saied rejects the charges and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption. Human rights groups and activists say Saied has turned Tunisia into an open-air prison and is using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents. Saied rejects these accusations and says he is holding everyone accountable equally, regardless of their position or name. Tunisia was the birthplace of what later came to be known as the Arab Spring uprisings, which led to the ousting of former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. Saied was democratically elected in 2019, but seized sweeping authorities in a 2021 power grab and has since ruled by decree.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tunisia court sentences Sonia Dhamani, a lawyer critical of the president, to 2 years
Tunisia court sentences Sonia Dhamani, a lawyer critical of the president, to 2 years TUNIS - A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced Sonia Dhamani, a prominent lawyer and critical voice of President Kais Saied, to two years, lawyers said, in a case rights groups say marks a deeping crackdown on dissent in the North African country. Dhamani's lawyers withdrew from the trial after the judge refused to adjourn the session, claiming Dhamani was being tried twice for the same act. The court sentenced Dhamani for statements criticizing practices against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Lawyer Bassem Trifi said that the court sentenced Dhamni two years calling the verdict "a grave injustice". "What's happening is a farce. Sonia is being tried twice for the same statement.", lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi, another lawyer for Dhamani, told Reuters. Dhamani was arrested last year after making comments during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia. The case was brought under Tunisia's controversial cybercrime law, Decree 54, which has been widely condemned by international and local rights groups. Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since Saied seized control of most powers, dissolved the elected parliament, and began ruling by decree in 2021, moves the opposition has described as a coup. Saied rejects the charges and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption. Human rights groups and activists say Saied has turned Tunisia into an open-air prison and is using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents. Saied rejects these accusations, saying he will not be a dictator and seeks to hold everyone accountable equally, regardless of their position or name. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Morocco World
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Opposition Politician Sentenced in Latest Blow to Tunisian Democracy
Free Destourian Party opposition leader Abir Moussi was recently sentenced to two years in prison, delivering the latest blow to Tunisian democracy. She was accused of criticizing the legislative process, and 'attempting to change the form of government, inciting violence attacking with the aim of provoking disorder.' This decision was made by presidential decree during under President Kais Saied. Tunisia had become a regional beacon of hope after the nation had become a democracy following a peaceful revolution which overthrew the dictator, Zine El Ben Ali. Afterwards, the country went through the process of formulating a new constitution – the start of a reform process that won the Nobel Prize. However, Saied, since coming to power in 2019, has been undermining the country's democracy. In 2022 Saied abolished the national parliament and started running the country by decree. He has also rewritten the constitution to take more direct power for himself. During the 2024 elections Saied arrested several opposition figures, winning the election virtually unopposed . In April, Saied arrested several members of the opposition in a crackdown on freedom of speech. This included the arrests of the leaders of the opposition party the National Salvation Front Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek as well as several members of the nation's Islamist party Ennahada. This was all done due to a new law Decree 54, which has been used to restrict so-called 'false language.' Under this decree there have also been several arrests of journalists, bloggers and everyday citizens. Opposition figures were imprisoned in sentences of up to 4-74 years after trials which have been named by Amnesty International as 'farcical.' Moussi's arrest came after she had tried to submit appeals against presidential decrees which were used ahead of 2024 elections to control the country's democracy. Her arrest now joins a large number that is all part of the Tunisia experiencing a massive democratic backsliding, leaving the state of the nation's future into question. Tags: abir moussiDemocracykais saiedTunisia politics
