A court in Tunisia has sentenced opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison in a high-profile case that rights groups and critics say reflects a broader crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied. Moussi leads the Free Constitutional Party, one of the country’s main opposition forces, and has been in custody since her arrest in 2023 outside the presidential palace.
The latest sentence stems from charges related to alleged assault and conduct deemed intended to cause disorder, accusations Moussi and her supporters reject as politically motivated. It represents one of several legal actions taken against opposition figures and civil society actors in recent years, which critics argue are part of a pattern of repression following Saied’s consolidation of power.
Moussi’s legal troubles have been protracted, with previous convictions under Decree-Law 54, a broadly worded cybercrime statute resulting in prior sentences that were reduced on appeal. The December ruling adds a significantly longer term, further weakening Tunisia’s political opposition.
Her imprisonment occurs alongside wider judicial actions against critics, including lengthy sentences for other opposition figures, lawyers and civil society members, raising concerns among international observers about the independence of Tunisia’s judiciary and respect for political freedoms.
President Saied’s government denies it is suppressing dissent, characterising legal actions as necessary to uphold security and order, but human rights organisations have called for the release of Moussi and other political prisoners as part of broader demands for democratic restoration.
