Following the sentencing in absentia of judge Hamadi Rahmani to three years' imprisonment by the Correctional Chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance in five cases relating to complaints lodged against him for "harming others via social networks" under article 86 of the Telecommunications Code, the Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia (CRLDHT) :

• Joins its voice to that of the Tunisian Association of Magistrates in its press release of April 29, 2025, and renews its appeal to the Tunisian authorities to finally set a date for the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, a request that has been postponed several times without reason.

• Firmly condemns the regime's relentless pursuit of dissidents, in clear violation of the right to a fair trial. In this case, the functional guarantees of the judge being prosecuted have been flouted: the proceedings were initiated without prior lifting of his immunity, in violation of article 121 paragraph 2 of the 2022 Constitution and article 24 of the presidential decree-law of February 12, 2022 relating to the Provisional High Council of the Judiciary. Although the cases had been suspended for several years pending this waiver of immunity, the judge was neither informed of the referral order nor summoned to the hearing, thus depriving Hamadi Rahmani of his fundamental right to defense.

• Denounces the violation of Hamadi Rahmani's freedom of expression and opinion for having publicly expressed his criticism, notably through Facebook posts denouncing the authorities' reaction to blatant corruption. Ironically, the complainant himself is now being prosecuted in another case for similar facts, although he still enjoys the presumption of innocence.

• Considers this ruling to be a new episode in President Kaïs Saïed's offensive against the independence of the judiciary, and in particular against Hamadi Rahmani, who was dismissed by presidential decree without cause, without respect for his right to a defense, and prosecuted like other magistrates. Despite a stay of execution issued by the first president of the administrative court and a ruling by the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights (August 2024) suspending the decree of dismissal, he has not been reinstated. His application to join the bar was also rejected by the National Bar Council, thus demonstrating complicity with the government. He and his wife, lawyer Salwa Megalougi, were also victims of police violence in December 2024 in connection with an abusive arrest warrant.

• Expresses its full solidarity with Judge Hamadi Rahmani and all magistrates targeted by repressive measures, whether criminal or administrative, for having defended the independence of the judiciary or simply exercised their function with integrity, while respecting the right to a fair trial for those subject to trial in Tunisia.