A Tunisian court has sentenced human rights activist Saadia Mosbah to eight years in prison and fined her £26,000 ($35,000). Mosbah, who leads the anti-racism group Mnèmty, faced charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment and was arrested in May 2024.
The 66-year-old has long been a prominent advocate for sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, especially after President Kais Saied depicted 'hordes of illegal migrants' as a demographic threat in a 2023 speech.
Since President Saied dissolved parliament in 2021, there has been a clear erosion of rights and freedoms in Tunisia, as noted by various opposition figures and rights groups.
The verdict is a major shock, and part of a broader effort to dismantle civil society groups and shift responsibility for the state's failures onto these organizations, stated Mosbah's lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, highlighting the nuanced political backdrop of the ruling.
Authorities last year suspended operations of several top civil society organizations, including the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women, citing foreign funding issues.
During Thursday's hearing, defense lawyers insisted on the innocence of Mosbah and her peers, amid a crackdown on activists targeting the civil society landscape in Tunisia.
In addition to Mosbah, her son received a three-year sentence and another activist was sentenced to two years, according to AFP reports. Human rights organizations have condemned the actions taken against Mosbah, emphasizing it as part of a concerted effort to repress voices advocating for civil rights.
As Tunisia grapples with mounting migration pressures and a crisis linked to increased migration flows from Africa, authorities have escalated legal measures aimed at controlling migration networks, contributing to a hostile environment for those advocating humanitarian efforts.
