Mobilization, Advocacy, and Solidarity in the Face of Escalating Repression in Tunisia

July 2026 was a busy month for the Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia (CRLDHT). It continued its work in mobilization, advocacy, outreach, and solidarity.

An international campaign for the release of Mourad Zeghidi

In connection with the 2026 World Cup, the CRLDHT has launched a solidarity campaign in support of journalist Mourad Zeghidi, a former sports reporter for Canal+ whose commentary had accompanied several sporting events before his voice was silenced by his imprisonment in Tunisia.

Through this case, the Committee sought to highlight that the entire journalistic profession is currently facing repression, particularly Borhane Bsaies and Zied El Heni, who have also been prosecuted or convicted for carrying out their professional duties.

For this campaign, the Committee created a large banner bearing the message: “Free the Franco-Tunisian journalist Mourad Zeghidi, who is unjustly imprisoned in Tunisia,” and distributed several hundred flyers throughout the competition.

On Saturday, July 4, the first event took place during the Tunis-sur-Seine festival at Fort d’Aubervilliers. Activists from the Committee met with a predominantly Franco-Tunisian audience of all ages. The initiative was received with a particularly warm welcome; several young people spontaneously joined the activists to help distribute flyers.

That same evening, starting at 9:40 p.m., before the France–Paraguay match, the CRLDHT continued its protest at the Fan Zone at La Villette (Paris’s 19th arrondissement).  The campaign continued on July 9 in front of the Fan Zone on Avenue Daumesnil (Paris’s 12th arrondissement), where the banner was unfurled once again while several hundred flyers were distributed.

Ongoing efforts to raise awareness about human rights violations

In addition to these public campaigns, the CRLDHT continued its day-to-day monitoring, information-sharing, and advocacy work throughout the month by issuing numerous press releases condemning human rights violations.

The Committee condemned the harsh sentence handed down to Judge Béchir Akremi, denouncing it as yet another example of the manipulation of the justice system against judges who have become undesirable.

He also expressed his solidarity with Anas Hmaïdi, president of the Tunisian Magistrates’ Association, noting that the criminalization of representatives of the judiciary marks a new step in the erosion of judicial independence.

The CRLDHT also condemned the legal proceedings brought against Ajmi Lourimi and other political leaders, arguing that these proceedings are part of a strategy to criminalize political life in order to neutralize any opposition.

The Committee also spoke out in support of Elyes Chaouachi, who has been the target of legal proceedings and intimidation campaigns, emphasizing that the guarantees of a fair trial and freedom of expression must be the same for everyone.

In response to the measures taken against Le Rio cultural center—a hub of Tunisia’s independent cultural scene—the CRLDHT condemned this as yet another attack on creative freedom and on autonomous spaces for debate and pluralism.

The CRLDHT also issued an urgent alert regarding the situation in Tunisian prisons amid the exceptional heat wave, condemning the water and electricity outages, inhumane detention conditions, and the risks faced by all detainees—particularly political prisoners, the elderly, and the sick. It called on the authorities to guarantee access to water, medical care, and detention conditions that comply with international standards, while demanding protective measures for the most vulnerable detainees. Finally, the Committee continued its work documenting political trials, violations of press freedom, migrants’ rights, and violations of economic and social rights.

Events for Republic Day

To mark Republic Day on July 25, the CRLDHT organized several initiatives designed to promote a different vision of the Republic, one based on freedoms, justice, and the rule of law.

On July 22, the Committee brought together in Paris representatives of civil society, human rights defenders, and leaders from various political factions in Tunisia to discuss developments in the situation in Tunisia, the prospects for democratic resistance, and the conditions necessary for rebuilding the rule of law.

On July 24, the eve of Republic Day, the CRLDHT organized a public rally at Place Joachim-du-Bellay (Fontaine des Innocents) in Paris in support of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Activists, former prisoners, representatives of civil society organizations, and citizens gathered there to reaffirm their demand for the release of all prisoners of conscience and the restoration of fundamental freedoms in Tunisia.

A Tribute to Three Loyal Friends of Democratic Tunisia

On July 21, the CRLDHT took part in a tribute held at Père-Lachaise Cemetery to Paul Oriol, a tireless advocate for the rights of foreigners, residency-based citizenship, and the right of foreigners to vote in local and European elections. A longtime friend of Tunisian democrats, Paul Oriol supported the struggle for human rights and freedoms for several decades.

The Committee also paid tribute to Said Bouziri, a fellow activist in numerous democratic struggles, whose unwavering commitment to migrants, civil liberties, justice, and international solidarity has inspired several generations of activists.

A tribute was finally paid to Tarek Ben Hiba, a founding member of the CRLDHT, who devoted much of his life to defending victims of injustice and fighting for fundamental freedoms. His life’s work remains an example of courage, integrity, and commitment to the universal values of human rights.

A campaign that continues

Through these various initiatives, the CRLDHT continued its mission to defend fundamental freedoms in July 2026. Whether by giving a voice to imprisoned journalists, supporting political prisoners, raising awareness about new abuses of the justice system, defending spaces of freedom, fostering dialogue among democratic forces, or honoring the memory of those who dedicated their lives to human rights, the Committee reaffirmed that international solidarity remains one of the main bulwarks against the authoritarian drift currently affecting Tunisia.