Summary
Chaima Issa, a writer, researcher, human rights and political activist, and a leading member of the National Salvation Front, was arrested from the midst of a peaceful march in Tunisia on 29 November 2025, following a ruling by the Court of Appeal sentencing her to 20 years in prison with immediate enforcement, imposing a fine of 50,000 Tunisian dinars, and ordering the confiscation of her property, based on serious charges, foremost among them “conspiracy against state security.”
Chaima Issa is a political activist who had previously been referred to the military judiciary following a statement she made during a radio interview in which she criticized the ruling authorities. She was convicted on several charges, including incitement, by any means whatsoever, to disobey a military order, committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic, and spreading false news and rumors through communication networks pursuant to Decree-Law No. 54.
Taken together, these charges reveal a systematic approach aimed at criminalizing civil and political opposition and reflect a clear intent to transform political activism and free expression into criminal cases, marking a profound regression in the protection of rights and freedoms.
Methodology
This documentation paper was prepared by the Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms based on a rigorous monitoring process that included the collection and analysis of information from reliable media sources, organized according to their chronological and procedural sequence. The Association also interviewed with Chaima Issa’s lawyer, Mr. Anas El Kaddoussi, on 7 December 2025, as well as a direct interview with Chaima Issa before her arrest, as part of its effort to examine all aspects of the case through primary sources.
The documented facts and measures taken against her were then assessed in light of the Tunisian Constitution and the international conventions ratified by Tunisia, particularly those relating to freedom of political and civic action and fair trial guarantees, to provide an objective human rights analysis that highlights the scale of the violations and the limits of the State’s compliance with its obligations.
Details of the Violation
Chaima Issa is a prominent political and human rights activist in Tunisia, widely known for her outspoken positions in defense of human rights and her criticism of the 25 July 2021 political process and the exceptional measures adopted by the ruling authorities. As a result of her human rights work and political positions, she was subjected to systematic targeting, including judicial prosecutions before both civilian and military courts, linked to her critical views and her exercise of the right to freedom of expression. Several cases were brought against her, most notably the case known as the conspiracy against state security, in addition to her prosecution before the military judiciary on various charges, including the dissemination of false information under Decree Law No. 54, incitement to disobey a military order, and committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic. This reflects the scale of the legal and political pressure exerted against her.
The date 22 December 2022 marked a turning point in the targeting of Chaima Issa, following her media appearance on the radio program “90 Minutes” broadcast on IFM Radio, during which she offered a critical assessment of the President’s performance, particularly with regard to the integrity of elections. In her testimony to the Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms, Chaima Issa stated that these remarks exposed her to organized smear campaigns and direct targeting by the authorities.
Following these statements, on 18 January 2023, Chaima Issa received an official summons to appear before the Central Brigade for Combating Crime of the National Guard in Ben Arous[1]. She was surprised to discover that a travel ban had already been imposed on her even before she was questioned during the investigation. She soon found herself facing serious criminal proceedings based on a judicial delegation issued by the Third Investigating Judge of the Military Court. The charges brought against her included incitement, by any means whatsoever, to disobey a military order, committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic, and spreading false news and rumors through communication networks with the intent to undermine public security and national defense.
Before her arrest, Chaima Issa stated in her testimony to Intersection for Rights and Freedoms that the charges brought against her were based on the provisions of Decree-Law No. 54, emphasizing that her media statements fell squarely within the scope of everyday political debate and did not, under any circumstances, constitute a criminal offense warranting her prosecution before a military court.
In addition to the case related to her public statements, Chaima Issa later found her name included in the case known in the media as the “Conspiracy against State Security” case. This case, which began in February 2023, involved more than forty opposition figures, human rights defenders, and activists who were charged with conspiracy against state security and joining a terrorist organization, solely based on their political activity and opposition to the authorities. These arrests were accompanied by judicial proceedings marked by serious violations, including infringements of defense rights, the imposition of remote trials, the denial of defendants’ right to attend their hearings, and the excessive use of pretrial detention, which in several cases exceeded two years. Violations within prisons were also documented, including ill-treatment and poor detention conditions.
On the evening of 22 February 2023, Chaima Issa was arrested by police units belonging to the National Unit for the Investigation of Terrorism and Crimes Affecting the Integrity of the National Territory, after her car was surrounded and she was taken to a police facility pursuant to an order issued by the Public Prosecutor at the Judicial Pole for Counter-Terrorism. Security forces also proceeded to her home, where they carried out a raid and search, seizing personal notebooks, books, and various documents, according to statements by the defense team.
Chaima Issa remained in custody for 48 hours pending investigation and was interrogated without the presence of a lawyer, pursuant to the provisions of the 2015 Anti Terrorism Law. During this period, she was charged with serious offenses, including “belonging to a terrorist organization,” “conspiracy against the internal and external security of the state,” and “incitement to overthrow the system of governance.” These charges were brought on the basis of her participation in political meetings with several opposition figures and her public criticism of the 25 July process, in the same manner as the other detainees in the same case.[2]
On 25 February 2023, the investigating judge at the Judicial Pole for Counter Terrorism issued a warrant of commitment to prison against the human rights activist Chaima Issa. The defense team submitted a request for her release and appealed the investigating judge’s decision.[3] This request was granted on 23 June 2023. However, the Public Prosecution appealed the release order, resulting in her continued detention. Following further proceedings, the Indictment Chamber of the Tunis Court of Appeal decided on 13 July 2023 to release Chaima Issa. She was released after spending approximately five months in prison in connection with the case known as the “Conspiracy against State Security” case.
On 12 December 2023, the Permanent Military Court of Tunis convicted Chaima Issa in relation to the aforementioned media statements. The court sentenced her to one year of imprisonment with partial suspension, consisting of six months suspended for the charge of “inciting the army to disobey orders,” four months for “committing an outrageous act against the President of the Republic,” and two months for “spreading false news,” pursuant to the provisions of Decree Law No. 54.[4]
Lawyer Anas Kaddoussi confirmed that, on 7 October 2024, the Military Court of Appeal in Tunis decided to reduce the sentence imposed on human rights activist Chaima Issa to six months of imprisonment with suspension, instead of the original one year prison sentence. This decision represents an important development in the course of her case, as it reflects appellate review of the severity of the initially imposed penalty, while maintaining the judicial proceedings against her.[5]
At the beginning of 2025, hearings commenced in the case known as the “Conspiracy against State Security” case. The first hearing was held before the Court of First Instance in Tunis on 4 March 2025, in the complete absence of the political detainees, due to the authorities’ reliance on remote trial procedures, a practice that constitutes a violation of the guarantees of a fair trial. The hearing was first adjourned to 11 April, and then postponed a second time to 18 April 2025, amid continued demands that the defendants be allowed to attend the hearings in person and exercise their right to defend themselves.
On 19 April 2025, the Court of First Instance issued prison sentences against approximately forty defendants, including politicians, lawyers, and businesspeople, in a trial widely regarded as political rather than judicial in nature. Chaima Issa was sentenced to eighteen years in prison.
Following this ruling, the victim of the violation appealed the judgment, and Chaima Issa remained at liberty pending the appeal. She attended the appeal hearings held on 27 October, 17 November, and finally 28 November 2025 before the Criminal Chamber Specialized in Terrorism Cases at the Tunis Court of Appeal, as confirmed by her lawyer.
On 28 November 2025, the Court of Appeal issued its final rulings in the Conspiracy Case. The Tunis Court of Appeal increased the sentences imposed on several defendants, including Chaima Issa, who was sentenced at the appellate level to twenty years’ imprisonment[6], in addition to a financial fine of 50,000 Tunisian dinars and the confiscation of her assets held in Tunisian financial institutions.
The following day, 29 November 2025, while participating in a peaceful march in the capital Tunis in defense of rights and freedoms, human rights activist Chaima Issa was subjected to a violent abduction carried out by individuals in civilian clothing who did not identify themselves[7]. In a highly demonstrative scene, force was used to drag a Tunisian citizen and compel her to accompany them without any clear legal basis. This operation constituted a serious assault on her fundamental rights as a citizen and on the minimum safeguards governing arrest and detention.
Since her arrest, Chaima Issa has entered into a hunger strike inside Manouba Civil Prison, an act of protest expressing her complete rejection of the conditions of her detention and of the judgment issued against her.[8]
Human Rights Violations
What political and human rights activist Chaima Issa has been subjected to, alongside dozens of politicians, lawyers, and activists, constitutes a stark example of systematic human rights violations carried out within a repressive context targeting political opposition and critical voices. The so-called “Conspiracy” case is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a recurring pattern of repressive policies that instrumentalize the judicial system and exceptional legislation as tools to silence dissent and establish a climate of fear and intimidation.
The prosecution of Chaima Issa and her co-defendants is not a response to genuine criminal conduct, but rather a punitive measure for the exercise of fundamental rights guaranteed under both national and international law, including freedom of opinion and expression, the right to political participation, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to hold those in power accountable. This approach represents a serious assault on the core of fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the Tunisian Constitution and in the international treaties ratified by Tunisia, which form an integral part of its legal framework.
The treatment of Chaima Issa constitutes a grave violation of human rights, particularly the right to freedom of expression, a fundamental right protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Paragraph 1 of this article affirms that “everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference,” while paragraph 2 provides that “everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers.”
Chaima Issa is not being prosecuted for any genuine criminal offense, but rather for her opinions, public statements, and political opposition, all of which fall squarely within the legitimate exercise of her right to expression and political accountability. These rights are also guaranteed under Article 37 of the 2022 Tunisian Constitution, which affirms freedom of opinion, thought, expression, information, and publication, and explicitly prohibits prior censorship.
The violation does not stop at the infringement of freedom of expression. Framing Chaima Issa’s political activity as “conspiracy against state security” also constitutes an assault on the right to peaceful assembly, as guaranteed under Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which recognizes the right of individuals to organize and participate in public life without fear or persecution. Article 21 explicitly states that “the right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized.”
Similarly, Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. This provision safeguards individuals’ ability to express their interests and form peaceful groups without coercion, and represents a cornerstone of the freedom of organization and peaceful assembly. This right is further enshrined in Article 42 of the 2022 Tunisian Constitution, which provides that “freedom of peaceful assembly and demonstration is guaranteed.”
Moreover, the prosecution of Chaima Issa on charges such as “committing an outrageous act against the President of the Republic” and “spreading false news and rumors” under Decree Law No. 54, followed by a custodial sentence imposed solely based on her criticism of the authorities, amounts to a direct criminalization of freedom of expression. This practice stands in clear contradiction with General Comment No. 34 of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which affirms that laws criminalizing insult to public authorities or “offending” state officials are incompatible with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In addition, referring civilians to military courts constitutes a serious violation of fair trial standards. Military jurisdiction is an exceptional form of justice and, under international human rights law, must not be used to try civilians. Trials before courts that lack sufficient guarantees of independence and impartiality, and that fail to fully ensure the right to defense, undermine the very essence of the right to a fair trial as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly Article 14. Such practices serve only to expand the scope of intimidation and create an atmosphere in which citizens are made to feel that participation in public affairs may expose them to prosecution before exceptional courts that are ostensibly intended to deal with military offenses rather than political opinions.
Furthermore, the proceedings to which Chaima Issa was subjected, whether before military courts or within the framework of the so-called “conspiracy” case, were marked by serious concerns regarding judicial independence and impartiality. The broader political context, the systematic targeting of opposition figures, and the expanded use of exceptional legislation all indicate that these trials are inherently political in nature. Rather than serving the pursuit of justice, they appear designed to punish political opposition and suppress dissent.
The use of counterterrorism legislation against political opponents cannot be regarded as anything other than a serious deviation from the original purpose of such laws, transforming them into instruments of retaliation and the silencing of critical voices. This arbitrary application constitutes a blatant violation of the principles of the rule of law and equality before the judiciary, and undermines the constitutional and human rights safeguards that restrict the use of exceptional legislation to narrowly defined and strictly necessary circumstances. Turning counterterrorism laws into tools for punishing political positions rather than addressing genuine security threats reflects a profound regression from the concept of the rule of law and from guarantees of political freedom. It sends a dangerous message that political disagreement will be met with exceptional penalties rather than democratic dialogue.
In addition, Chaima Issa was arrested while participating in a peaceful march in the capital, Tunis, on 29 November 2025. She was apprehended by individuals wearing civilian clothes who did not identify themselves and failed to present any clear legal basis for the arrest. This act violates the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed under Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the right to personal security under Article 9. It also contravenes the fundamental principles of due process applicable to any arrest, pointing to arbitrary practices in the handling of civic and political activism.
Moreover, the judicial prosecution of Chaima Issa based on her political activity and opposition to the authorities constitutes an unlawful restriction on the right to political participation. Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees every citizen the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, either directly or through freely chosen representatives, without discrimination or unreasonable restrictions. This right is likewise affirmed in Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protects the right to freely participate in the governance of one’s country. Punishing Chaima Issa for her political engagement therefore represents a direct violation of these rights and signals a broader pattern of repression targeting civic and political participation in Tunisia.
[1] Mosaïque FM, 2023. National Salvation Front: Chaima Issa summoned to appear before the Anti-Crime Unit, 18 January. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
[2] Inkyfada, 2024. The “Conspiracy Against State Security” Case: One Year After Its Initiation—What Is the Assessment?, 11 February. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
[3] Al Jazeera, 2023. Tunisia: Decision Issued to Release Political Opposition Figure Chaima Issa as the Public Prosecutor Appeals, 23 June. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
[4] France 24, 2023. Tunisian Military Court Issues a One-Year Suspended Prison Sentence Against Opposition Figure Chaima Issa, 13 December. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
[5] Ultra Tunisia, 2024. Military Court of Appeal Sentences Chaima Issa to Six Months in Prison with a Suspended Sentence, 10 October. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
[6] Al Jazeera, 2025. Final rulings in the Conspiracy Case deepen opposition fears in Tunisia, 28 November. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
https://www.aljazeera.net/politics/2025/11/28/%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B3
[7] BBC Arabic, 2025. Arrest of prominent Tunisian opposition figure Chaima Issa to enforce a 20-year prison sentence, 29 November. Last accessed: 11 December 2025.
