Tunisia: Arrests of Women Migrant and Black Rights Defenders in Escalation of Repressive Crackdown on Migrants and Civil Society Organisations

In a sharp escalation of the Saied regime’s repressive crackdown on migrants, CSOs, and human rights defenders, two prominent women activists have been arrested under controversial circumstances. Saadia Mosbah, a Black woman and leading anti-discrimination advocate heading the Mnemty association, was arrested on May 6th under accusations of money laundering. Her arrest followed a National Security Council meeting where President Kais Saied condemned CSOs assisting Sub-Saharan migrants, accusing them of being foreign agents and "traitors." Mosbah, who had been outspoken on social media about the racism she faced in her advocacy, was detained for ten days before being placed in pretrial detention on May 16th. Her case reflects the growing hostility faced by Black people and their defenders in Tunisia, particularly women.

Just two days later, on May 8th, Sherifa Riahi, a migrant rights defender and former executive director of Tunisie Terre d'Asile, was arrested in connection with a tender for renting hotels to accommodate Sub-Saharan migrants. Despite no evidence of guilt, she faces charges of mismanagement and embezzlement. Riahi’s arrest has drawn public outcry, especially due to her separation from her two-month-old baby and three-year-old son. On May 21, 2024, an investigating judge decided to keep Riahi in detention.

These arrests signal an intensifying crackdown on women human rights defenders in Tunisia, sparking calls for action. In response, the feminist organisation Aswat Nissa has launched a campaign demanding the immediate release of all women imprisoned for their civic engagement, marking this wave of repression as part of a broader backlash against activists fighting for migrant and racial justice.

See: Africa News, Kapitalis, Aswat Nissa, Business News, Inkyfada, Human Rights Watch, Kapitalis