Tunisia: Escalating attacks against Women Human Rights Defenders
10 May 2024
Countries
Political trend
The actor of the backlash
The form of backlash
Rights at stake and state’s obligations
Amidst the escalating authoritarianism of Tunisian President Kais Saied, there has been a rise in arrests targeting journalists and political opponents, including women human rights defenders. On May 6, Saadia Mosbah, the president of the Mnemty association known for her feminist activism against racial discrimination, was arrested and detained for five days under charges related to terrorism and money laundering laws. Prior to this, the Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD) organised events to garner support for Bochra Belhaj Hmida, its former president. Belhaj Hmida, who fled to France in 2023, faces accusations of conspiring against state security.