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The Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release lawyer Ahmed Souab and drop all charges against him, as they stem solely from his exercise of his right to freedom of expression and his professional duties as a lawyer, Amnesty International said today.
Souab, a lawyer and former judge, was arrested on 21 April 2025, by the anti-terrorism brigade following comments he made criticizing the “conspiracy case” trial during a press conference held by lawyers outside the courthouse. On 19 April a Tunisian court sentenced 37 people including prominent opposition figures, lawyers, and human rights defenders, to prison terms ranging from four to 74 years following a sham trial. Amnesty International is calling for the verdict to be quashed and the charges against all 40 defendants in the case to be dropped.
“Ahmed Souab’s arbitrary detention is a blatant act of reprisal for his condemnation of flaws in the ‘conspiracy case’ trial. It also marks a further chilling escalation in the Tunisian authorities’ assault on justice and makes clear their determination to silence those who dare to speak out against the authorities’ repressive policies,” said Sara Hashash, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
“Like other lawyers, he is being targeted solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression and for representing his clients. He should be immediately and unconditionally released.”
Souab, who represents two of the defendants in the conspiracy case, Ghazi Chaouachi and Ridha Belhaj, had denounced the trial as a “farce” and highlighted numerous procedural violations and baseless accusations. His remarks, during which he used a figure of speech about the pressure on the presiding judge, were deliberately taken out of context on pro-government social media accounts, leading to calls for his arrest on false accusations that he had threatened the judge.
Within hours of his arrest, the prosecution announced that Souab was being charged under counter-terrorism legislation, including preposterous accusations of “forming a terrorist organization,” “supporting terrorist crimes,” and “threatening to commit terrorist crimes” in addition to “disseminating false news,” according to Decree Law 54. Following his arrest, he was placed in police custody and initially denied access to his family and lawyers for 48 hours.
On 23 April, the investigative judge at the anti-terrorism judicial division summoned Souab for a hearing but imposed arbitrary restrictions on his legal representation, limiting the presence of his defense team to four lawyers despite dozens being present to represent him. Souab’s legal team boycotted the investigation in protest but the the judge proceeded to order his pre-trial detention for six months and Souab was transferred to the Mornaguia prison in Tunis. Another hearing session with the judge was scheduled for Monday 28 April.
The “conspiracy case” trial was marred by egregious fair trial violations. Lawyers highlighted that some defendants were never even formally notified of the indictment against them.
The first hearing on 4 March, proceeded without the defendants present after the court vaguely cited a “real danger” and insisted on online participation from prison, a decision vehemently opposed by the detainees and their lawyers. In the second hearing, on 18 April, observers from civil society, embassies, international NGOs, and independent media were barred from attending the session, with only one family member per defendant allowed entry.
The third and final hearing on 18 April lasted less than a minute, with no opportunity for the defendants to be heard, no statements from the defense lawyers or cross-examinations allowed. In an unprecedented move, during the session the judge removed the names of three defendants from the list of defendants in this case and deferred their trials.
Among those given exorbitant sentences were businessman Kamel Ltaeif (74 years), and opposition figures Noureddine Bhiri (43 years), Khayyam Turki (38 years), Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Issam Chebbi, Ghazi Chaouachi, and Chaima Issa (all 18 years), Abdelhamid Jelassi, Sahbi Atig, Said Ferjani (all 13 years) in addition to human rights defenders such as Bochra Bel Haj Hmida (43 years) and Ayachi Hammami (eight years).
“The farcical nature of this trial, evidenced by the lack of respect of the presumption of innocence, the absence of the accused, the exclusion of observers, and the denial of any meaningful opportunity for defense illustrates a blatant disregard of human rights, including the right to a fair trial that Tunisia is obligated to uphold,” said Sara Hashash.
Amnesty International has documented a worrying trend of targeting lawyers representing members of political opposition groups, activists, and human rights defenders in Tunisia, including those involved in the defense of the conspiracy case detainees. Disturbingly, President Kais Saied himself appeared to interfere with the judicial process, publicly stating in February 2023 that history had proven the detainees guilty before the courts and warning against anyone who might exonerate them. Such statements undermine the independence of the judiciary and have a direct effect on the work of defense lawyers.
“Undermining the independence of the legal profession and targeting lawyers who represent victims of human rights violations represents yet another serious setback to the right to legal defense and other fair trial guarantees in Tunisia,” said Sara Hashash.
“Legal professionals should be able to carry out their duties and express themselves freely without intimidation, harassment, or fear of retaliation.”
Tunisian authorities must end the harassment and intimidation of lawyers and ensure they can perform their professional functions without fear of reprisal, in line with international standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
Authorities must also quash the unjust convictions and sentences in the “conspiracy case” and cease the politically motivated prosecutions of critics, political opponents, and human rights defenders.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.