The Criminal Chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance Postpones the So-Called “Conspiracy” Case Involving 40 Defendants

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Criminal Chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance decided to postpone the hearing of the case known as the “conspiracy” case, involving 40 defendants, to the session of April 11, while rejecting all requests for release.

Among the accused are prominent opposition figures charged with offenses related to an alleged plot against state security. Outside the courthouse, activists gathered to protest what they called a “fabricated trial” and part of a political crackdown.

Nine of the defendants, currently in detention, were not allowed to attend the hearing, as the court deemed their release a risk. Defense lawyers insisted on their clients’ right to appear physically before the judge, a demand also echoed by the protesters.

The list of defendants includes opposition politicians, former diplomats, businessmen, journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists. Some of them have spent over two years in prison, while others have fled to avoid prosecution.

According to defense lawyers, some of the accused face the death penalty if convicted. The charges range from conspiracy against state security to membership in a terrorist group, while others are suspected of having illegal ties with foreign parties and diplomats.

Critics of Tunisian President Kais Saied argue that the charges are fabricated and that the trial is politically motivated. Saied, re-elected for a second term last year, has labeled the defendants as “traitors and terrorists,” while the opposition accuses him of orchestrating a coup against democracy in 2021.

Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings, has seen a significant decline in freedoms under Saied’s rule. Critics, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, accuse his government of using the judiciary to suppress opposition since his power grab in 2021, when he dissolved parliament and expanded his executive powers.

Supporters of Saied, however, argue that his crackdown is necessary to stabilize the country, which is suffering from inflation, unemployment, and corruption. Many Tunisians blame political elites for economic mismanagement.

Human rights organizations have condemned what they describe as fabricated charges against opposition figures, including the treatment of the accused. The International Commission of Jurists stated in a release: “The systematic and documented violations of the defendants’ rights during the pre-trial phase severely undermine the legitimacy, independence, and impartiality of the trial.”

Scenes from the Trial and Protests

Outside the courthouse, protesters held signs reading: “No to trials in absentia, no to a justice system that fails to guarantee rights, freedom for political prisoners.” One protester carried a photo of Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the opposition Ennahdha movement, with the caption: “Freedom for Rached Ghannouchi.”

Lamia Farhani, a lawyer and member of the committee defending detainees, said: “The irony is that a president who is an expert in constitutional law is violating the laws he swore to uphold. This hypocrisy will ultimately prove the detainees’ innocence.”

Ahlem, a protester who asked not to disclose her last name, said: “I came to stand with those detained for their opinions, those who were abducted and held outside legal procedures and laws. We reject this farce that prevents defendants from facing their judges directly to defend themselves.”

Divided Public Opinion

However, not all Tunisians oppose the crackdown. Mohamed, a fish seller in Tunis, said: “I hope they get life sentences. They destroyed the country. Before, we could fill our baskets for 20 dinars, now 100 dinars isn’t enough. Half the people are unemployed. They lied, stole, and smuggled.”

Mohamed’s remarks reflect the economic despair driving some working-class citizens to support Saied’s campaign against corruption.

Fears of Democratic Backsliding

The trial comes at a time of escalating tensions between Saied’s government and the opposition, which accuses him of drifting toward authoritarianism. Since 2021, dozens of critics have been arrested under repressive laws, such as Decree-Law 54.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Tunisian authorities to “cease all forms of persecution against political opponents” and to respect freedom of expression and assembly. Local human rights organizations have warned that the trial could reveal a democratic backslide in Tunisia.

Regular hearings are expected in the coming weeks, and the verdicts are likely to have a significant impact on Tunisia’s divided political landscape. For now, the absence of detained defendants and remote judicial procedures raise concerns about the integrity of the justice system, fueling fears of politicized justice.