First Independent Mena Newspaper
A Tunisian court has sentenced 21 prominent politicians and officials, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, to prison terms ranging from 12 to 35 years, in a new verdict that highlights the use of the judiciary by President Kais Saied to silence the opposition. The charges, which include inciting violence, attempting to overthrow the government, and […]
The Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of Appeal has affirmed the convictions of Wadii Jari, former president of the Tunisian Football Federation, while moderating his prison sentence to three years instead of the original four. The lower Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of First Instance had imposed a four-year jail term on Jari, […]
A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to 22 years in prison in absentia on charges of undermining state security, triggering condemnation from rights groups who denounce the use of the judiciary by President Kais Saied to intimidate and silence the opposition at home and abroad. The verdict, delivered in June 2025, adds […]
In June 2025, Algeria and Tunisia jointly endorsed the Soumoud Convoy, a humanitarian land mission aimed at delivering aid to Gaza. The convoy, which departed from Tunis on June 9, included hundreds of activists mostly from Tunisia, Algeria, and other international leftist figures. It was intended to reach the Gaza Strip via Egypt’s Rafah crossing, […]
Tunisia’s economic prospects have taken a hit as the World Bank revised its growth forecast downward, projecting a modest 1.9% expansion in 2025, down from an earlier estimate of 2.2%. The outlook for the following years is even more subdued, with growth expected to slow to 1.6% in 2026 and 1.7% in 2027. The downgrade […]
A Tunisian criminal court specializing in terrorism has handed down on Tuesday a 37-year prison sentence to a young man convicted in absentia, following a complaint lodged by a sitting female Member of Parliament. The charges stem from a series of Facebook posts made by the defendant, which were deemed inflammatory and threatening. The posts […]
Tunisia exported 107.9 thousand tons of dates during the first seven months of the 2024–2025 season, i.e. from the beginning of the campaign in October 2024 to the end of April 2025, according to data from the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI). Comparing this to the 114.7 thousand tons exported during the same period last […]
Former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh was handed a 34-year prison sentence by a Tunisian court for allegedly facilitating the flight of fighters to Syria, a charge he vehemently disputes. In response to what he and his Ennahdha party have described as a politically motivated prosecution, Larayedh told the judge”I was neither sympathetic, nor complicit, nor […]
Human Rights Watch has called on the European Union to break its silence and publicly condemn the deteriorating human rights situation in Tunisia. The EU member states should stop pretending they can satisfy their immediate interests by cozying up with an increasingly repressive leadership in Tunis, said HRW in its latest press release. The Tunisian […]
Authorities in Tunisia have ramped up security measures on the island of Djerba following an axe attack on a local Jewish jeweler, just days before the island hosts its annual Lag B’Omer pilgrimage. The victim, a 50-year-old shop owner, sustained defensive injuries and was admitted to hospital on Thursday, May 8, though he is expected […]