On January 24, 2025, the Correctional Chamber of the Tunis Court of Appeal confirmed the conviction of lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani, while reducing her prison sentence from two years to one year and six months. This verdict is a further demonstration of the injustice and increasing repression targeting free voices in Tunisia.
Sonia Dahmani, known for her commitment to human rights and her uncompromising defense of freedom of expression, was initially sentenced on October 24, 2024 to two years' imprisonment for "disseminating false information" under Decree-Law 54. Her "crime" was to have denounced discrimination and manifestations of racial segregation targeting black Tunisians during an appearance on IFM radio, courageously asserting the existence of such practices in Tunisia. Sonia Dahmani's defense not only demonstrated the veracity of her statements, based on documented and publicly-reported facts, but also stressed the importance of breaking the silence on these historical and social realities.
This case is just one aspect of the repression to which she is subjected. Sonia Dahmani has already been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment in a separate case, and faces three other legal proceedings, all based on the exercise of her right to freedom of expression. These charges reveal a systematic strategy aimed at silencing her and intimidating anyone daring to criticize the powers that be.
What's more, Sonia Dahmani only learned of the sentence handed down against her the following day, and only through her lawyers. This practice raises doubts about transparency and respect for the accused's fundamental rights, in particular her right to immediate and fair communication regarding her judicial situation.
Beyond her convictions, Sonia Dahmani endures disastrous conditions of detention at Manouba prison: deprivation of adequate medical care, exposure to cold, hunger and thirst. These cruel treatments are designed to break her moral and physical resistance. Her situation is all the more revolting in that the date for the trial has been set for January 24, 2025, World Day of Lawyers in Danger, a clear provocation at a time when a large national and international mobilization is supporting Sonia Dahmani.
Tunisia, which has long been a symbol of democratic hope, cannot continue to sink into such authoritarian practices.
We call :
- The immediate and unconditional release of Sonia Dahmani and all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Tunisia.
- An end to the use of Decree-Law 54, a veritable instrument of repression.
- A national and international mobilization to defend the principles of freedom, justice and dignity.
Sonia Dahmani is not alone. We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with her and all those who courageously defend human rights.
