Tunisia Urged to Overturn Unjust Conspiracy Trial Convictions Ahead of Final Appeal
- Tunisia’s Court of Cassation is scheduled to hold a final appeal hearing on 3 September in the politically charged "conspiracy case," marking the ultimate judicial avenue to overturn...
- The legal proceedings began when the Tunis Court of First Instance convicted 37 individuals on 18 April 2025, handing down prison terms ranging from four to 66 years.
- International organizations have raised urgent concerns regarding the physical conditions of the imprisoned dissidents.
Tunisia’s Court of Cassation is scheduled to hold a final appeal hearing on 3 September in the politically charged “conspiracy case,” marking the ultimate judicial avenue to overturn convictions for 34 opposition figures, human rights defenders, and lawyers, according to statements from Amnesty International. The defendants were originally targeted in a mass trial stemming from arrests that began in February 2023, and human rights organizations have consistently denounced the proceedings as politically motivated and marred by severe due process violations.
Origins of the Mass Trial and Initial Sentences
The legal proceedings began when the Tunis Court of First Instance convicted 37 individuals on 18 April 2025, handing down prison terms ranging from four to 66 years. According to Human Rights Watch, which reviewed judicial documents from the case, the defendants were charged under multiple articles of Tunisia’s Penal Code and the 2015 Counterterrorism Law with plotting to destabilize the country. The initial trial took place over just three hearings without adequate due process protections, and many defendants were tried remotely by videoconference after authorities claimed a security risk. Following the initial ruling, the Tunis Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of 34 defendants on 27 November 2025, adjusting prison sentences to ranges between five and 45 years. Those convicted include Ayachi Hammami, Chaima Issa, Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Issam Chebbi, Ghazi Chaouachi, Ridha Belhaj, Khayam Turki, Abdelhamid Jelassi, Sahbi Atig, and Said Ferjani. Many of these individuals have been detained since February 2023, exceeding the maximum 14-month pretrial detention limit established under Tunisian law.
Human Rights Concerns and Detainee Health
International organizations have raised urgent concerns regarding the physical conditions of the imprisoned dissidents. Sara Hashash, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated that many defendants are suffering from deteriorating health problems exacerbated by successive heatwaves and poorly ventilated cells. Human Rights Watch documented that several detainees launched hunger strikes to protest their arbitrary confinement and lack of medical access, including Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Issam Chebbi, Ridha Belhaj, and Abdelhamid Jelassi. Lawyers and family members also reported incidents of physical abuse within detention facilities that authorities failed to address.
The September Appeal and Demands for Release
Ahead of the 3 September hearing at the Court of Cassation, Amnesty International called on Tunisian authorities to seize the opportunity to rectify what it termed a travesty of justice. The organization urged the government to overturn the convictions, release all individuals arbitrarily detained, and ensure that prison conditions comply with international standards while granting detainees regular access to families, lawyers, and healthcare.
