Tunisia : The unstoppable wave of repression against women human rights activists

Women, activists, association leaders, journalists, and political figures are facing persecution under Tunisia’s authoritarian regime. The crackdown intensified after the arrests of Saadia Mosbah and Sherifa Riahi in May 2024.

In late September 2024, Mawadda Jemai was arrested during a protest against President Kais Saied's regime. She denounced the brutality of the arrests, enduring humiliation, including restrictions on water and electricity in her cell, as well as threats from law enforcement.

On November 8, 2024, Asrar Ben Jouira, feminist activist and president of the association 'Intersection for Rights and Freedoms', was summoned by the Ben Arous criminal brigade and questioned on November 11, though the reasons remain unclear. She is currently free, but this reflects the ongoing climate of repression.

Sihem Bensedrine, a human rights defender and independent journalist, has been detained since August 2024, accused of falsifying a report from the Truth and Dignity Commission. In January 2025, she went on a hunger strike to protest her arbitrary detention, which she ended on January 30 after being hospitalized. On January 28, a judge extended her detention without informing her, prompting a petition for her release.

Sonia Dahmani, accused of spreading fake news, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for exposing the regime's racism and the conditions of Sub-Saharan migrants, an issue that greatly disturbs the president. Her sister has denounced the inhumane conditions Sonia faces in prison, including burns from a faulty shower and lack of access to information.

These tragic stories are not isolated; they belong to people like Chaime Issa, Chadha Hadj Mbarek, Leila Kallel, Mariem Sassi, Abir Moussi, and many others. The current repression in Tunisia represents a severe backlash against women's rights and civil liberties. The regime is attempting to erase women from civil society by targeting activists and politicians through arrests. This marks a stark contrast to Tunisia's history of progressive reforms, highlighting the regime's escalating efforts to suppress women’s participation in public life and maintain control.

See : Amnesty International, Business News, Le Monde, Nawaat,