UN experts warn Tunisia is silencing lawyers

UN-appointed experts have accused Tunisia of targeting lawyers to stifle dissent, AFP reports. In a joint statement, special rapporteurs Margaret Satterthwaite and Irene Khan said several legal professionals had been prosecuted or jailed for statements made or cases they defended, undermining judicial independence.

One high-profile case involves lawyer Ahmed Souab, detained on terrorism-related charges in April after alleging political interference in a mass trial of opposition figures. The experts said such prosecutions “appear designed to ensure critics of the executive are silenced.”

They urged Tunisian authorities to allow lawyers to operate without intimidation or interference, warning that these actions pose a “direct threat to the integrity and fairness” of the justice system.

President Kais Saied, in power since 2019, has ruled by decree since dissolving parliament in 2021, prompting international concern over democratic backsliding. The UN experts confirmed they had formally notified the Tunisian government of their concerns.