Tunisia's President Kais Saied has finally freed prominent lawyer Sonia Dahmani after 18 months behind bars, a move that many are hailing as a major victory for democracy in the North African country. The outspoken critic of Saied had been denied parole despite serving only half of her sentence.
Dahmani's release comes amid growing international pressure on Saied to end his crackdown on dissent. Her arrest last year sparked widespread protests and criticism from human rights groups, who accused the government of silencing critics under the guise of national security.
The lawyer, a media commentator, had been convicted for comments made during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia. The court found her remarks insulting to her country and spreading false information intended to harm it.
As Dahmani walked free from Manouba prison, dozens of her family members and activists chanted slogans expressing relief at the end of what they called an era of repression by the police state. Her lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi said that a justice minister had issued a release order under a system allowing prisoners to apply for parole after serving half their sentences.
The Journalists' Syndicate welcomed Dahmani's release, calling for the release of other detained journalists who have been arrested since Saied seized power in 2021. The move has been seen as a major development in Tunisia's struggle for freedom of speech and expression.
International rights groups have long accused Saied of using the judiciary and police to target his opponents, including opposition leaders, journalists, and critics. However, Saied denies these allegations, saying he is holding everyone accountable equally regardless of their position or name.
Dahmani's release has been hailed as a victory for democracy in Tunisia, but human rights groups warn that much work remains to be done to restore the country's freedoms and protect its citizens from persecution.
Dahmani's release comes amid growing international pressure on Saied to end his crackdown on dissent. Her arrest last year sparked widespread protests and criticism from human rights groups, who accused the government of silencing critics under the guise of national security.
The lawyer, a media commentator, had been convicted for comments made during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia. The court found her remarks insulting to her country and spreading false information intended to harm it.
As Dahmani walked free from Manouba prison, dozens of her family members and activists chanted slogans expressing relief at the end of what they called an era of repression by the police state. Her lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi said that a justice minister had issued a release order under a system allowing prisoners to apply for parole after serving half their sentences.
The Journalists' Syndicate welcomed Dahmani's release, calling for the release of other detained journalists who have been arrested since Saied seized power in 2021. The move has been seen as a major development in Tunisia's struggle for freedom of speech and expression.
International rights groups have long accused Saied of using the judiciary and police to target his opponents, including opposition leaders, journalists, and critics. However, Saied denies these allegations, saying he is holding everyone accountable equally regardless of their position or name.
Dahmani's release has been hailed as a victory for democracy in Tunisia, but human rights groups warn that much work remains to be done to restore the country's freedoms and protect its citizens from persecution.
! It's like, Saied needs to chill out with all this dissin' and silencin' of critics 
. I mean, Tunisia's got a right to free speech and expression, just like any other country 
. And it's crazy that she had to spend 18 months in the slammer for just expressin' her opinions 
. The fact that the justice minister just waved his hand and said 'parole you go' is kinda sweet 
. But for real tho, there's still so much work to be done to get Tunisia's freedoms back on track 
. It's like, the people need to keep pushin' for change 
.
and it's literally the best pasta dish I've ever had like ever! their carbonara is insane 
and I'm pretty sure I'll be going back there every week for a while now... anyway, back to Tunisia - I mean, I'm glad Sonia Dahmani is free and all, but have you seen that adorable cat video of a Tunisian rescue kitty? 
it's literally the cutest thing I've ever seen online! and can we talk about how beautiful Manouba prison is... just kidding, let's not focus on that 
. seriously though, freedom of speech in Tunisia should be, like, super important to everyone 
... 18 long months trapped behind bars for simply voicing an opinion 
. It's a stark reminder that freedom of speech isn't just about having the right to express ourselves, but also about facing the consequences when we dare to challenge the status quo 
... Tunisia has come a long way since Saied took power, but there are still many voices in the dark 
. Will Dahmani's release be a catalyst for genuine change, or just a temporary reprieve? Only time will tell 
.
oh man, 18 months behind bars over some TV comments? talk about a Twitter beef 
and the Journalists' Syndicate should be getting their reporters outta there ASAP 
#JusticeForJournalists
finally after 18 months she's free 
! Sonia Dahmani's release is like a breath of fresh air for Tunisia. I was getting worried about her, it's not fair that she had to serve half her sentence just because she spoke up. Saied's government needs to get its act together and stop silencing critics, it's time for some real change 
. We need more people like Sonia Dahmani who aren't afraid to speak truth to power 
anyway, its def cool 2 see her goin free, but lets not forget theres still ppl locked up 4 speakin out against saied's gov
. I mean, the fact that she was able to use her voice and speak out against the government without fear of reprisal says a lot about the country's commitment to free speech and expression. And let's be real, it's also a huge win for human rights groups who have been pushing hard for Saied to back off on his crackdown on dissent 
. I mean, I get it, Saied's got a lot of critics out there, but does he really need to lock up someone who's just trying to spark a conversation about important issues like migration and human rights? 
. We can't have a free society without free press, right? 
And let's be real, Saied's whole 'accountability for all' thing just rings hollow when you see his critics getting hauled off to prison 
.
. But let's not get too excited, there are still so many journalists and opposition leaders behind bars waiting for their turn... it's like, what happened to freedom of speech and expression? 
, especially since she only did half her sentence 
. anyway, this is definitely a major win for democracy and freedom of speech in tunisia