Leading anti‑racism activist in Tunisia jailed for eight years

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Leading anti‑racism activist in Tunisia jailed for eight years

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A Tunisian court has sentenced human rights activist Saadia Mosbah to eight years in prison and fined £26,000 ($35,000).

Mosbah, who leads the anti-racist group Mnèmty, was accused of money laundering and illicit enrichment and was arrested in May 2024.

The 66-year-old has long been a vocal advocate for sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, particularly after a 2023 speech by President Kais Saied, who described the “hordes of illegal migrants” as a demographic threat.

Since President Saied dissolved parliament in 2021, opposition figures and rights groups have warned of a steady erosion of rights and freedoms in the North African country.

“The verdict is a major shock, and it is part of a broader effort to dismantle civil society groups and shift responsibility for the state’s failure to solve the migrant problem onto these groups,” Mosbah’s lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, told Reuters.

Authorities last year ordered the suspension of the activities of major civil society organizations – including the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women, both known for their defense of civil liberties – citing financial audits linked to foreign funding.

At Thursday’s hearing, lawyers for Mosbah – who was tried alongside other activists – argued their clients were innocent.

Mosbah’s son was also sentenced to three years in prison, while another activist received a two-year sentence, AFP reports.

A day before the hearing, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the World Organization Against Torture called on Tunisian authorities to immediately release Mosbah, citing his age and health problems, AFP reports.

In their statement, they said his prosecution was “part of a broader pattern of intensifying repression against civil society in Tunisia”, citing cases against rights defenders, “smear campaigns” in the media and new restrictions on NGOs working on migration.

The case comes as Tunisia faces growing pressure over rising migration flows from across Africa, with the country becoming a major transit point for people trying to reach Europe.

In response, authorities have stepped up security and introduced stricter legal measures targeting irregular migration networks, deporting thousands of migrants back to their countries of origin.

Rights groups warn that the crackdown risks further hampering humanitarian work and reducing the space for independent advocacy.