Tunisia: report reveals shaky legal ground for protest arrests

A report from Amnesty International released on June 16th reveals that the Tunisian government’s crackdown on opposition figures and peaceful dissent by activists is under vague legal provisions, according to analysis by law students at Jurist News.

The report documents that between February 2020 and January 2025, at least 90 protesters, unionists, and environmental activists were arrested or prosecuted, with most being charged under ambiguous “obstruction” provisions.

According to Jurist News, the deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International stated that “The arbitrary application of these vaguely worded ‘obstruction’ legal provisions, coupled with fair trial violations, violates Tunisia’s international human rights obligations and sends a chilling message to anyone daring to speak out for their rights.”

These protesters were targeted for protesting poor working conditions, pollution or lack of water.

Under international law, peaceful assemblies cannot be criminalized, even if they cause temporary disruption.

Amnesty International’s report found legal violations in five of the nine cases it reviewed, including no guarantees to a fair trial. Dozens of people sit in Tunisian jails with charge, trial or legal access, in some cases beyond the 14-day limit that the law sets.

The report also urged the Tunisian government to drop all charges related to peaceful protests, and repeal the Articles in Tunisia’s penal code that facilitate the prosecution of protesters.

The crackdown on peaceful activism goes hand in hand with the recent trials that President Kais Saied has put opposition figures through. 

On April 17th, Maghrebi reported that Tunisian authorities were arresting lawyers, journalists, judges, and opposition politicians. 

Most notably, former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh was sentenced to 34 years in prison on May 2nd, and former leader of a democratic opposition party Kamal Bin Youssef was sentenced to 66 years.

These trials have been widely condemned and protested against. If the arrests and trials of activists and opposition figures continues under President Saied, then protests will likely also continue.

Jurist News/Maghrebi