Tunisia: Upheld Convictions in Mass 'Conspiracy Case' a Travesty of Justice

What the report says

Amnesty International criticized a Tunisian court decision that upheld convictions and long prison terms for 34 defendants in what it described as the politically motivated “conspiracy case.” The organization’s senior director for regional human rights impact, Yasmine Ahmed, said the ruling by the Tunis Court of Cassation was a serious setback for justice and would deepen concerns about Tunisia’s judicial independence. The case concerns prominent opposition figures, lawyers and human rights defenders.

According to the report distributed by AllAfrica from Amnesty International, the sentences reportedly reach up to 45 years. Amnesty said the trial was flawed from the start, citing due process problems such as remote attendance for defendants and the denial of their right to be physically present in court. It argued that the judiciary had missed an opportunity to correct what it viewed as an injustice.

Those named in the background included human rights lawyer Ayachi Hammami, opposition figure Ahmed Nejib Chebbi and political activist Chaima Issa. Amnesty called on Tunisian authorities to overturn the convictions, drop the charges and release those detained for exercising their rights. More broadly, the case has become a point of concern for rights groups and observers who say Tunisia has increasingly used criminal proceedings against political dissent.