Tunisia frees prominent commentator Sonia Dahmani
New York, November 27, 2025 — The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Thursday release of Tunisian commentator and lawyer Sonia Dahmani, who had been held since May 2024 over comments made during a television appearance, and calls on authorities to clarify the conditions of her release and ensure she can work and move freely….
CPJ calls on Tunisian authorities to end harassment of jailed commentator Sonia Dahmani
New York, November 12, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release political commentator Sonia Dahmani, ensure she receives urgent medical care, and end her judicial harassment. On November 11, the Tunis Court of First Instance postponed Dahmani’s criminal hearing, regarding her media comments on prison conditions in Tunisia,…
‘They want to break her’: A Q&A with jailed Tunisian commentator Sonia Dahmani’s sister
Tunisian lawyer and commentator Sonia Dahmani, known for her bold defense of human rights and civil liberties, has become a symbol of the country’s escalating crackdown on dissent. Arrested in May 2024, she has been subjected to five separate legal proceedings that could put her behind bars for decades under Decree 54 — a law…
CPJ, partners: Tunisian authorities must release Sonia Dahmani, end misuse of cybercrime Decree-Law 54
New York, July 18, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 36 other press freedom and human rights organizations in a statement condemning Tunisia’s ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and calling for the immediate release of imprisoned commentator Sonia Dahmani, who is serving multiple prison sentences under a repressive cybercrime Decree-Law 54 for her media…
Tunisia sentences sister in absentia for advocating for jailed journalist Sonia Dahmani
New York, July 9, 2025—CPJ urges Tunisian authorities to cease the prosecution of family members of journalists advocating for their release after a Tunis court on July 1 sentenced in absentia Ramla Dahmani, the sister of imprisoned lawyer and political commentator Sonia Dahmani, to two years in prison on false news charges. “Tunisian authorities are…
Tunisia adds 2 more years to jailed commentator Sonia Dahmani’s sentence
New York, July 2, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of Tunisian media commentator Sonia Dahmani, who was sentenced on June 30 to an additional two years in prison on charges of spreading false news, after condemning racism in the country, an act she is already serving jail time for. Dahmani’s lawyers withdrew from Monday’s trial to protest that…
Tunisian journalist’s health rapidly deteriorates in prison hunger strike
New York, May 16, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately grant medical care to jailed journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek, who went on hunger strike Wednesday after she was repeatedly denied emergency medical attention for various ailments. “Denying medical care to journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek, whose health is deteriorating in prison, is inhumane and risks…
Jailed Tunisian commentator Sonia Dahmani faces 10-year -sentence after charges elevated to felony
New York, April 11, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of political commentator Sonia Dahmani after the Tunis Court of Appeals reclassified charges against her as a felony, a move that could lead to a 10-year prison sentence over Dahmani’s critique of prison conditions. “The reclassification of imprisoned commentator Sonia Dahmani’s charges as a felony is…
CPJ urges Tunisia president to release journalist Mohamed Boughalleb
The Committee to Protect Journalists sent a letter to Tunisian President Kais Saied on February 12 asking him to secure the release of journalist Mohamed Boughalleb, whose health is gravely worsening, and to repeal the cybercrime law Decree 54. Boughalleb, a reporter with local independent channel Carthage Plus and local independent radio station Cap FM,…
Tunisian journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek sentenced to 5 years in prison
New York, February 7, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek after a Tunisian court sentenced her to five years in prison on Wednesday. Another journalist, freelancer Chahrazad Akacha, was sentenced to 27 years in absentia. “The sentencing of journalists Chadha Hadj Mbarek and Chahrazad Akacha is a clear example of how the Tunisian…