Trials Continue under Decree No.54:
Mounir Bechedhli
On February 6, 2024, the court of First Instance in Kef issued a preliminary ruling sentence imprisoning “Mounir Bechedhli,” an architect and human rights activist, for 3 months in prison with immediate effect. He was accused of using information and communication networks and systems to produce, promote, publish, send, or prepare false news, data, rumors, artificial, forged or falsely attributed documents to others with the intent of infringing upon the rights of others, harming public security or national defense, or spread terror among the population according to Article 24 of Decree No. 54.
Kaouther Kouki
On Friday, February 16, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued against the Tunisian blogger and civil society activist “Kaouther Kouki“ after she was referred for investigation in custody following her arrest on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. This was due to a complaint filed by the public prosecution against her per the provisions of Article 24 of Decree No.54 of 2022 regarding “the combat of crimes related to information and communication systems” following her disclosure of suspected financial irregularities at the Ministry of Interior.
Ahmed Rajab
On Monday, February 19, Mr. Ahmed Rajab was summoned to the headquarters of the Central Division of the National Guard in L’Aouina for investigation after the minister of Agriculture filed a complaint against him under Decree No. 54. The public prosecution authorized his detention for investigation for 48 hours to appear later before the court of First Instance in Tunis on February 21, 2024. He was released and kept in a state of provisional release.
Jawher Ben Mbarak
A lawyer and a member of the defense team for detained opposition politicians in Tunisia announced that a six-month prison sentence had been issued against the leader of the opposition National Salvation Front, Jawher Ben Mbarak.
The professor of constitutional law was convicted under “Decree No. 54” on combating crimes related to information and communication systems. He was charged following statements in which he criticized the electoral process.
The charge of “committing a heinous act” strikes freedom of opinion and expression once again.
Abdel Moneim El Hafidhi
On Sunday, February 18, 2024, Abdel Moneim El Hafidhi was stopped near his residence by non-uniformed civil guard officers at around 6:30 PM in the evening. Subsequently, he was taken to the National Guard Center in the city of Metlawi, Gafsa Governorate. He was then sent to prison and charged with committing a heinous against the President of the Republic on the grounds of critical posts he had posted on his personal social media page.
Political detainees in the conspiracy case, a year of imprisonment and abuse:
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms has been following up on the case known in the media as the “case of conspiracy against state security,” which followed a wide campaign of arbitrary arrests and detentions. As a result, several political leaders known for their opposition to the current regime were arrested. More than 8 politicians have been arrested since the beginning of February 2023 and have been imprisoned for an entire year. There is a complete absence of any real conviction that would necessitate their imprisonment, except for the fact that they oppose the decisions of the president of the Republic.
The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime
The latest developments regarding the approval of the Tunisian Republic’s adherence to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime adopted in Budapest on November 23, 2001, No. 06/2024. The Assembly of People’s Representatives is preparing to draft a basic law for this purpose.
Cases of Femicide on The Rise
Since the beginning of 2024, Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms has recorded 5 cases of femicide in various states of Tunisia, in different and brutal forms, including strangulation, slaughtering, stabbing, and beating to death. It’s worth mentioning that Intersection Association documented more than 25 cases of femicide last year.
The last days of freedom:
Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms released a monitoring report entitled ”Last Days of Freedom.”
The report focuses on addressing human rights violations throughout the year 2023, a period in which Tunisia witnessed a series of violations of various rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The targets of these violations were Tunisians of various backgrounds, politicians, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, etc.
