You can access the report via this link: Beyond Prison Walls Testimonies of Women Victims of Political Repression
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms released today, 7 April 2026, a study titled: “Beyond Prison Walls: Testimonies of Women Victims of Political Repression”.
The study addresses the violations faced by women activists or women connected to political detainees in Tunisia during the period 2025–2026. It highlights the multiple dimensions of violence, as well as the social, political, and gender-based stigma directed against them.
The report is based on in-depth interviews with nine women from diverse backgrounds, including: Mira Ben Salah (queer activist) Asrar Ben Jouira (intersectional feminist and political activist), Yamina Zoghalmi (former member of parliament and political leader within Ennahda), Mariem Zghidi (feminist and sister of the detained journalist Mourad Zghidi), Dalanda Dous (mother of former political detainee Imen Ouerdani), Emna Farida Riahi (mother of former political detainee Cherifa Riahi), Bochra Belhadj Hamida (feminist and former member of parliament, Ghofrane Binous (feminist and anti-racism activist), Balkiss Ghrissa (daughter of human rights activist and former detainee Salwa Ghrissa)
The study identifies four categories of women: civil and political activists, queer activists, women in exile, and women from the families of detainees. These groups have faced various forms of gender-based violence, including physical violence that in documented cases escalated to physical assault; political violence aimed at depriving women of their rights and freedoms; prison stigma extending beyond prison walls and affecting entire families, including children; and indirect economic violence manifested through frozen bank accounts, restrictions on employment, and increased costs of legal representation and prison visits amid shrinking resources.
The study also documents thirteen forms of digital violence observed in the cases and testimonies, including: Digital defamation (doxing) through the publication of personal images and data without consent for intimidation and to restrict public participation, targeted cyberbullying of women’s bodies and expressions, digital blackmail,Online threats of physical, sexual, or psychological violence, digital social stigmatization through association with negative stereotypes, cyberstalking, online harassment, privacy breaches and hacking, deepfakes using artificial intelligence-based manipulation, digital disinformation campaigns through fake accounts and false information, hate speech and incitement creating a hostile digital environment, astroturfing (coordinated fake grassroots campaigns),gender-based backlash and victim-blaming in the public sphere.
The study aims to shed light on the barriers women face in the public space and to assess the effectiveness of national legislation, including Organic Law No. 58 of 2017 on combating violence against women, and Decree-Law No. 54 of 2022, which in practice has become a tool used to restrict freedom of expression rather than to protect women from digital violence.
The study concludes with a set of recommendations addressed to legislative, executive, and judicial authorities, as well as civil society and the media, to ensure the protection of women from violence and stigma and to strengthen their rights in the public sphere in line with international standards.
Recommendations:
The study presents a set of integrated recommendations directed at various stakeholders:
-Legislative authorities are urged to explicitly criminalize digital violence in law, adopt a feminist approach ensuring protection for all groups, eliminate discriminatory legal provisions, and simplify access to justice.
-Executive authorities are called upon to activate prevention and protection mechanisms by establishing specialized units within the Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Women & Family Affairs; launching a national observatory on violence; improving hotline services; ensuring safe reporting channels; and strengthening personal data protection.
-Judicial authorities are encouraged to enforce the law strictly, train judges and security officers on gender sensitivity and the technical handling of digital evidence, provide legal aid to victims, and impose stricter penalties on repeat offenders.
-Civil society and the media are urged to develop safe digital platforms, organize national awareness campaigns against stigma and hate speech, implement support and empowerment programs for survivors of violence, and integrate education on non-violence and gender equality into school curricula to promote safe and equal participation in society.
You can access the report via this link: Beyond Prison Walls Testimonies of Women Victims of Political Repression
