Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms is loosely monitoring the legal developements in the cases involving the Tunisian politician Abir Moussi, pointing out the Human Rights violations she has been enduring.
Arrested on October 3, 2023, Moussi has been held in detention for over 500 days, during which she has faced numerous violations of her rights, such as being denied the right to legal defense, the absence of a fair trial, and abuse that has compromised her personal dignity.
Her children have also been prevented from visiting her on multiple occasions, along with facing various charges related to her political role as the president of the Free Destourian Party and a former member of the 2019 Parliament.
On February 12, 2025, Abir Moussi announced that she had started a harsh hunger and medication strike in protest of the mistreatment she had been facing in prison. Despite her deteriorating health, she remained in detention until Sunday, February 16, 2025, when some close associates learned that she had been transferred to Taher Maamouri Hospital in the governorate of Nabeul.
It is also important to note that the prison administration did not inform her family nor her lawyers about her transfer from Mornaguia prison to Belli prison in Nabeul on friday, February 14, 2025. This sudden decision occurred after the secretary and the treasurer of the Bar Association visited her in Manouba.
Following these events, Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms condemns the human rights violations against Abir Moussi since her arrest, especially the recent ones. These include the prison’s refusal to transfer her urgently to the hospital and her forced transfer to Nabeul Civil Prison on February 14, 2025, which involved dragging and abuse, as confirmed by her defense team. The association also highlights the absence of any clear legal reason for this transfer.
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms also condemns the systematic violations endured by Abir Moussi and other female prisoners, particularly concerning the freedom of expression cases. These violations not only are they used as a form of punishment and harassment for their opposing opinions, but they also undermine their dignity.
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms calls on the Tunisian state to respect human rights and grant Abir Moussi all her legal rights, including fair trial conditions and humane detention. It also demands that she be allowed to visit her 15 year old daughter without restrictions.
The association expresses its full support for Abir Moussi, condemning the ongoing mistreatment and abuse she faces, which violate her human rights. It also calls for the release of her and other political prisoners detained since 2023 for their opposition to the government.
Ultimately, the association urges human rights organizations, political parties, and civil society to take immediate action and stand against the persistent infrigements on political freedoms.