Overview
- Prominent lawyer and commentator Sonia Dahmani walked out of Manouba prison after roughly a year and a half, greeting supporters who gathered outside.
- Her lawyer said the justice minister authorized the release under a mechanism allowing prisoners to leave after serving half their sentences.
- CPJ reported uncertainty over conditions, with Dahmani’s lawyer calling the release unconditional while noting she still faces three trials, including a hearing scheduled for Friday.
- Dahmani was convicted over televised remarks questioning Tunisia’s stance on undocumented African migrants, with a court ruling she insulted the country and spread harmful false information.
- The Journalists’ Syndicate welcomed the move and urged further releases as rights groups decry a broader crackdown since 2021, while President Kais Saied insists his actions are legal; the European Parliament also urged Tunisia to free detained journalists in a resolution passed Thursday.