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Tunisia’s civil society is experiencing intensified government pressure through a wide range of enforcement actions, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch. The organization documented arrests, extended detention periods, criminal prosecutions, and mass suspensions of civil society organizations and their workers. These measures have significantly constrained the civic freedoms that developed following Tunisia’s 2011 revolution.
The crackdown has affected dozens of individuals and organizations across the country. Human Rights Watch found that authorities have prosecuted at least 47 people connected to nongovernmental organizations, with at least 10 held in preventive detention exceeding legal limits. Among those convicted are prominent human rights advocates, including activist Saadia Mosbah, sentenced to eight years in prison on financial crime charges in March. Additionally, workers at organizations assisting asylum seekers and refugees have faced convictions linked to their humanitarian work.
Authorities have targeted organizations working on sensitive issues, particularly those addressing migration and refugee concerns. From mid-2024 onwards, multiple arrests occurred at groups providing assistance to migrants and combating discrimination. Officials have employed counterterrorism and money-laundering laws against civil society defenders, while also launching financial investigations into major organizations including Amnesty International’s regional office. These actions have resulted in frozen bank accounts and restricted access to foreign currency for several groups.
Since mid-2025, authorities have suspended at least 20 civil society associations using executive decree, with procedural irregularities noted throughout the process. Some organizations were not provided required legal warnings before suspension. Two groups currently face dissolution proceedings, raising concerns that the broader campaign aims to eliminate civic space in the country.
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Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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