Tunisia's Court of Cassation has upheld the convictions of dozens of prominent opposition figures, lawyers, and human rights defenders in a state security case, rejecting their appeals. The ruling confirms prison sentences of up to 45 years that were handed down by an appeals court last year, according to Tunisia's state-owned news agency TAP, citing judicial sources.
The case has drawn international criticism and intensified concerns about judicial independence and political freedoms in Tunisia. These convictions are part of a broader crackdown that has seen opposition activists, journalists, and lawyers arrested or prosecuted since President Kais Saied consolidated power in July 2021. At that time, Saied suspended parliament, dismissed the government, and began ruling by decree.
The charges in the case include conspiracy against the internal and external security of the state, forming or joining a terrorist organization, and offenses related to attempts to change the form of the state. The defendants and their lawyers have consistently denied the allegations and challenged the proceedings and charges.
President Saied has defended the prosecutions as necessary measures to protect national security and hold accountable those he accuses of conspiring against the state. He has previously characterized some opponents as "traitors" and "terrorists" and alleged that those detained in this case aimed to destabilize the country and incite social unrest. Saied, elected in 2019 with a mandate to reform a perceived failing political system, denies accusations of suppressing the opposition, asserting that his actions are vital to combatting corruption and safeguarding Tunisia from external threats.
Lawyers for the defendants criticized the timing of the court hearing, stating they were notified only three days prior, which they argued was insufficient for preparing a defense. Among the individuals sentenced are prominent opposition figures Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, Chaima Issa, Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Ghazi Chaouachi, Ayachi Hammami, Khayam Turki, and Abdelhamid Jelassi.
Some defendants had been held in pretrial detention for years, while others were released on bail. Following the appeals court verdict, they were subsequently arrested to serve their sentences. Amnesty International had urged the Court of Cassation to overturn the convictions, describing the case as politically motivated and alleging that the trial was marred by due process violations.
The human rights organization also noted that many of the imprisoned individuals are experiencing deteriorating health, exacerbated by successive heat waves that have worsened conditions in poorly ventilated prison cells. Haifa Chebbi, daughter of 82-year-old detainee Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, reported in August that her father was experiencing shortness of breath and severe fatigue, with prison officials monitoring his condition.
Faiza Rahem, wife of detained activist Issam Chebbi, stated at a news conference on Friday that the families' legal battle would now shift to a political arena. "After four years of harassment and persecution, we will continue defending the detainees. We will not tire or give up," she said, adding that repression had strengthened their resolve and that their numbers had grown in response to increasing authoritarianism.