Tunisian anti-racism activist sentenced to eight years in prison

A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced anti-racism activist Saadia Mosbah to eight years in prison on financial misconduct charges, a ruling her lawyer condemned as "shocking" and politically motivated, marking the latest crackdown on civil society in the North African country.

The 66-year-old head of the Mnemty anti-racism association has been in custody for nearly two years.

She rose to prominence defending sub-Saharan migrants after President Kais Saied's 2023 speech denouncing "hordes of illegal migrants" as a demographic threat.

Mosbah was arrested in May 2024 on money laundering and illicit enrichment charges, alongside other association members who pleaded innocence during Thursday's hearing.

Lawyer calls for appeal

"It's a shocking ruling that has nothing to do with the case.

It sends a clear message: under the current regime, civil society work is suspicious," lawyer Ben Salem told AFP, announcing an immediate appeal.

Mosbah's son received three years, while another activist was handed a two-year sentence.

Growing repression

A day before the verdict, human rights groups urged Mosbah's release, citing her age and health.

They called her prosecution "part of a context of growing repression of civil society," marked by cases against rights defenders, media smear campaigns, and curbs on migration NGOs.

Since Saied's 2021 power grab, rights groups have documented the erosion of freedoms in Tunisia.