Tunisia: Supporters of lawyer Sonia Dahmani continue to rally against her sentence

Four days after lawyer Sonia Dahmani was sentenced to eight months in prison by an appeals court, her supporters are pushing back against the verdict. The sentence was issued before Dahmani’s defense could present arguments, raising concerns about judicial fairness among her allies.

On September 12, lawyers, relatives, and Civil society activists gathered at the Tunisian Journalists’ Union headquarters. Bassem Trifi, President of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, commented: “It’s clear where the political regime is heading. The trial of Sonia Dahmani shows a disregard for the right to a fair trial. The message is: ‘This is how it is, and if you don’t like it, too bad.’”

Dahmani’s siblings, also present, expressed their worries. Despite appealing to the Supreme Court, her sister Ramla Dahmani noted the seriousness of the situation, as Sonia faces prosecution in four other cases. “Combined, Sonia could face up to forty years in prison. If you speak out, you risk at least five years, which is what Sonia is facing,” she said.

Sonia Dahmani is one of many in Tunisia now imprisoned for expressing their political views. With less than a month until the presidential elections, her supporters are calling for the release of all prisoners of conscience.