WJWC Condemns Harsh Tunisian Sentences Amid Fears of Judicial Weaponization

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has strongly condemned the sweeping prison sentences handed down by the Tunisian judiciary on April 19, warning that the rulings mark a grave assault on civil liberties and judicial independence in the country.

In a statement issued Saturday, WJWC expressed deep alarm over the sentencing of approximately 40 individuals—including journalists, lawyers, economists, and political activists—to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years. The charges reportedly stem from accusations of "conspiracy against state security" and "membership in a terrorist organization."

The organization emphasized that the legal proceedings failed to meet fundamental international standards for fair trials, citing key provisions from the *International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights* (Articles 9 and 14) and the *African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights* (Article 7). These provisions guarantee the right to a fair and public hearing, access to legal defense, trial before an independent and impartial tribunal, and the rejection of remote trials lacking sufficient safeguards.

According to WJWC, the trial was marred by serious procedural violations, including the absence of international or impartial domestic oversight. Defendants were reportedly denied the opportunity to respond to charges, submit witness testimonies, or attend their hearings in person. Independent press and civil society observers were also barred from attending the sessions—an exclusion the organization denounced as a stark violation of transparency and public accountability.

“This trial represents a dangerous precedent in Tunisia's judicial history and raises profound concerns about the future of justice in the region,” the organization stated.

WJWC contextualized the trial within a broader pattern of democratic erosion in Tunisia since July 2021, when President Kais Saied implemented a series of exceptional measures. These included the suspension of the parliament, dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council, and the collective dismissal of judges—actions widely condemned by rights groups as undermining the rule of law.

The organization argued that the Tunisian judiciary is increasingly being manipulated as a political instrument to suppress dissent and silence independent voices. “This weaponization of the courts gravely undermines Tunisia’s constitutional guarantees and its obligations under international law, including the Convention Against Torture, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Arab Charter on Human Rights,” the statement read.

In response to the rulings, WJWC issued a set of urgent demands:

·         The immediate annulment of the convictions due to the lack of fair trial guarantees;

·         The unconditional release of all individuals detained for their political views or peaceful civic engagement;

·         An independent and expedited investigation into procedural abuses associated with the trial;

·         Restoration of judicial independence and an end to all forms of executive interference in legal proceedings;

·         Full access for journalists and human rights monitors to judicial processes to uphold transparency.

WJWC also called on international actors—including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights—to exert pressure on the Tunisian government to fulfill its international obligations. The organization urged these bodies to take concrete actions to ensure the protection of fundamental freedoms and prevent the further politicization of the judiciary.

“What is happening in Tunisia is not merely a domestic crisis—it is a litmus test for the strength of global human rights mechanisms in the face of systemic repression cloaked in legal procedures,” WJWC concluded.

The developments have drawn widespread condemnation from civil society actors and rights defenders, who warn that Tunisia is veering further from the democratic aspirations that emerged in the wake of the 2011 revolution.

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Women Journalists Without Chains

April 21, 2025