(Reuters) – A Tunisian judge on Wednesday ordered the detention of prominent lawyer and outspoken government critic Ahmed Souab, just two days after his arrest for publicly denouncing the recent mass conviction of opposition figures on conspiracy and national security charges, according to fellow lawyers and state media.
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Souab, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, had described the court proceedings as a “farce” and “scandalous,” condemning the sentencing of dozens of opposition leaders. He served as legal counsel to several defendants in the controversial case, which has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and the international community.
His arrest was confirmed by three fellow lawyers, including his colleague Samir Dilou, who stated that Souab was detained specifically because of his critical remarks about the judiciary.
On Saturday, a Tunisian court sentenced 40 individuals to prison terms ranging from four to 66 years, according to the state-run TAP news agency. Those convicted included leaders of the National Salvation Front—the country’s main opposition coalition—along with lawyers, business figures, and public personalities. The charges ranged from “conspiracy against state security” and “incitement” to “membership in a terrorist group.”
Three defendants were later removed from the case upon appeal. Of the original 40, 27 were tried in absentia, including prominent international figures such as French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy and feminist lawyer Bushra Belhaj-Hamida, who each received 33-year sentences.
Other high-profile figures, such as Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek—both National Salvation Front leaders who remain in custody—were sentenced to 18 years each. Businessman Kamel Eltaief received the longest sentence: 66 years.
The trial was held behind closed doors, with journalists barred from the proceedings—an act condemned by the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) as a “blatant violation of press freedom, union rights, and constitutional protections.”
The case originated from a February 2023 investigation targeting 17 people. Authorities have since expanded the crackdown to include judges, lawyers, journalists, and political activists. Many of the accused had already been in custody since their 2023 arrests.
Following the initial detentions, President Saied labeled the suspects as “criminals” orchestrating a “paid campaign” to destabilize the state.
Amnesty International slammed the recent court verdicts, calling the trial a “travesty of justice” and clear evidence of the authorities’ disregard for Tunisia’s international human rights obligations and the rule of law. Just a week before the judgment, the organization had called for the release of seven political detainees, asserting they were being punished for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.
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