Tunisia: Pressure Mounts on Civil Society Groups

Tunisia – Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a 49-page report on Wednesday documenting how the country's authorities have sharply increased pressure on civil society organizations through arrests, detentions, financial investigations, mass suspensions, and threats of dissolution of associations.

According to the report, authorities have prosecuted at least 47 individuals linked to non-governmental organizations and detained at least 10 people in preventive custody for over 14 months, exceeding the maximum legal limit under Tunisian law. Following trials held in 2025 and 2026, at least 14 individuals associated with civil society groups have been sentenced to prison.

One prominent case is human rights activist Saadia Mosbah, who was sentenced on March 19 to eight years in prison and a heavy fine on financial crime charges. Five staff members of organizations supporting asylum seekers have also been convicted on charges related to their work, forcing these groups to cease operations.

The crackdown targets not only activists but also organizations working in sensitive fields, particularly migration. From May to December 2024, authorities detained numerous staff of groups assisting refugees and migrants amid rising tensions over the treatment of sub-Saharan Africans. President Kais Saied has described the presence of sub-Saharan migrants as part of a “criminal plan” to change Tunisia's demographic composition.

Authorities have invoked laws criminalizing assistance to foreigners residing illegally and the 2015 “anti-terrorism” and anti-money laundering legislation to bring charges that HRW calls abusive against human rights defenders and NGO staff. Financial pressure has also been applied: in late 2024, the Tax Evasion Investigation and Prevention Brigade announced probes into at least 12 associations, including the regional office of Amnesty International and the anti-corruption group I Watch. These investigations have led to the freezing of bank accounts of at least two associations, hampering their operations.

Between July and October 2025, and again from April to May this year, authorities used Decree 2011-88 on associations to suspend at least 20 civil society organizations. HRW notes multiple procedural irregularities, with many associations not receiving the legally required formal warnings. Groups such as Al Khatt and Mnemty now face the risk of dissolution. Activists say the prosecutions are fostering a climate of fear, prompting many to weigh carefully before speaking out or organizing activities. Journalists have also been severely affected, facing blocked access during reporting, demands for identification, or confiscation of equipment. The number of photojournalists has dropped by about half due to job losses or foreign media outlets' reluctance to cooperate.

HRW urges Tunisian authorities to end abusive investigations, release detained activists, overturn unjust sentences, and asks parliament to withdraw bills restricting freedom of association. The organization also calls on the European Union and its member states to pressure Tunisia to halt these practices. “By dismantling the space for civil society, the authorities are trying to ensure that no one remains to monitor them,” emphasized Bassam Khawaja, HRW's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.