Since 2023, Tunisia has witnessed an alarming escalation in the criminalisation of anti-racist activists, migrant solidarity groups, and civil society organisations. Following racist statements by President Kais Saied targeting people on the move, Black communities and human rights defenders have faced increasing harassment, arbitrary arrests, judicial intimidation, and smear campaigns.
Activists and association leaders have repeatedly been accused of offenses such as money laundering, threats to state security, or terrorism-related activities, often without credible evidence. These prosecutions have raised serious concerns among international human rights organisations regarding the shrinking civic space and the use of the judiciary to silence dissent in Tunisia.
Saadia Mosbah
Saadia Mosbah, President of Mnemty and an anti-racist activist, was arrested back in May 2024 following a wave of anti-Black racism in Tunisia. She was in a pretrial detention that exceeded legal limits and during her time in prison, she reported facing severe racial discrimination and a physical assault by a prison guard.
On March 19, 2026, the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Mosbah to eight years in prison and a fine of over TND 120,000 (around 36,000 euros). Saadia Mosbah was charged with “illicit enrichment” and “money laundering.” Five other Mnemty staff members received sentences ranging from one to three years.
Abdallah Said
Abdallah Said, the former president of The Children of The Moon association in Medenine, Tunisia, was arrested at the end of 2024. Initially he was “suspected of terrorism”; however, the “counter-terrorism unit” later dropped the charges due to lack of evidence. The case was then returned to a public prosecutor on charges of money laundering, embezzlement, and offenses against state security.
On April 22, after spending 18 months in pretrial detention, the Court of First Instance in Medenine, Tunisia sentenced Said to one year in prison.
Resisting!
On 11 April 2026, hundreds of demonstrators recently gathered in Tunis to protest against racism and discriminatory policies targeting Black people. Protesters marched against racism, the criminalisation of civil society work, and the detention of anti-racist and migrant rights activists, including Saadia Mosbah.
As racism and xenophobia continue to intensify, the growing mobilisation of demonstrators in Tunis shows that many within Tunisian society continue to resist discrimination and defend the rights and dignity of Black Tunisians, migrants, and civil society actors!
Alarm Phone Tunis
Picture taken during the anti-racism demonstration in Tunis, 11 April 2026
