NGOs Call for UN Intervention
Ahead of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), scheduled for September 7 to October 9, 2026, a coalition of prominent non-governmental organizations has issued a formal appeal for urgent international attention to the deteriorating rule of law and human rights situation in Tunisia. The signatories, including Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, and the World Organisation Against Torture, are calling on HRC member states to use diplomatic channels to press the Tunisian government on its ongoing suppression of judicial independence, civil society, and electoral integrity.
Erosion of Judicial Independence
The coalition highlights that since July 25, 2021, President Kaïs Saïed has systematically dismantled the democratic safeguards established after the 2011 uprising. Central to this effort was the dissolution of the independent High Judicial Council (HJC) and its replacement with a provisional body under direct presidential control. The government’s refusal to appoint senior judges has left this body non-operational, allowing the Ministry of Justice to exert unchecked influence over judicial careers and discipline.
Evidence of this weaponization includes the arbitrary dismissal of 57 judges and prosecutors in 2022, a move the Administrative Court attempted to block. Instead of reinstating them, the government initiated criminal cases against many, leading to prison sentences for figures such as Bechir Akremi and Hammadi Rahmani. Additionally, the conviction of Anas Hmedi, President of the Association of Tunisian Magistrates, for his role in judicial strikes, underscores the state’s aggressive posture toward legal professionals.
Targeting Civil Society and Dissent
The report details the extensive use of Decree-Law 2022-54, which targets “fake news,” to prosecute journalists, lawyers, and activists. The case of Sonia Dahmani—convicted and sentenced multiple times for criticizing prison conditions—is presented as a primary example of the chilling effect on freedom of expression. Furthermore, the authorities have moved against humanitarian workers, including those assisting refugees, and have effectively paralyzed organizations like Mnemty through criminal convictions against leadership and asset freezes.
Transitional Justice and Electoral Integrity
The institutional destruction extends to the transitional justice process. The Truth and Dignity Commission (TDC), established to address abuses from the Ben Ali era, has seen its findings ignored, with the executive failing to execute hundreds of bench warrants. The recent 25-year prison sentence handed to former TDC president Sihem Bensedrine reflects a broader effort to erase the legacy of post-2011 accountability.
These actions mirror the state’s approach to elections. The 2024 presidential election was marked by the disqualification of most challengers and the removal of the Administrative Court’s jurisdiction over electoral disputes just days before the vote, effectively insulating the electoral commission from legal oversight.