US EditionTunisia Frees Outspoken Lawyer Sonia Dahmani After 18 Months in Jail
- On Thursday, Tunisia freed prominent lawyer Sonia Dahmani from Manouba prison after the Tunisian justice minister issued a release order allowing application after half the sentence, her lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi said.
- Her conviction followed a televised appearance where she questioned government policy on undocumented African migrants, and a Tunisian court said her comments insulted Tunisia and spread false information, prompting protests outside the Palace of Justice, Tunis on May 13, 2024.
- She told reporters `I hope this is the end of the nightmare for me and all the other prisoners`, while the Journalists' Syndicate welcomed her release and family members chanted outside Manouba prison.
- Rights groups describe Sonia Dahmani's imprisonment last year as part of a deepening crackdown, and she hoped her release would pave the way for dozens of other critics to walk free.
- During a sweeping power grab in July 2021, Saied enshrined many powers in a new constitution and critics say he uses the judiciary and police against opponents, which Saied denies.
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16 Articles
Between the release of lawyer Sonia Dahmani and the conviction this Friday of opponents of the regime, Tunisian justice is paradoxical. Opponents and activists who are still behind bars hold their breath.
Tunisia Frees Prominent Commentator Sonia Dahmani
New York -- The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Thursday release of Tunisian commentator and lawyer Sonia Dahmani, who had been held since May 2024 over comments made during a television appearance, and calls on authorities to clarify the conditions of her release and ensure she can work and move freely.
Tunisia frees prominent commentator Sonia Dahmani
New York, November 27, 2025 — The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Thursday release of Tunisian commentator and lawyer Sonia Dahmani, who had been held since May 2024 over comments made during a television appearance, and calls on authorities to clarify the conditions of her release and ensure she can work and move freely....
Sonia Dahmani is prosecuted in several cases related to statements on the existence of racism in Tunisia. Her release comes on the day of the adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution on "the deterioration of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Tunisia".
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