On Rule of law and human rights situation in Tunisia, particularly the case of Sonia Dahmani

B100518/2025

European Parliament resolution on Rule of law and human rights situation in Tunisia, particularly the case of Sonia Dahmani

( 2025/2988(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas Tunisian authorities have crushed political opposition, harassed civil society, curtailed freedom of expression and the press, undermined judicial independence intensified crackdowns on migrants, asylum seekers and refugees;

whereas Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer and media personality is serving a 50-months sentence, solely for exercising her right to freedom of expression; whereas she faces further charges that could extend her sentence up to twenty-four years; whereas in prison, Dahmani is subjected to cruel and inhuman conditions, was denied access to medical care, and her communications with family and legal team are restricted;

whereas before being arrested she faced threats linked to her public stances against racism, shrinking civil and political liberties and migration policy; whereas on July, her sister Ramla Dahmani, was sentenced in absentia, on charges of spreading false news;

Whereas Tunisia and the EU signed a migration Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2023 linking substantial funding to border control; despite Tunisia’s grave human rights violations;

whereas throughout 2024 and 2025, Tunisian authorities escalated the crackdown on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and all forms of dissent; whereas mass trials and heavy sentencing of members of the opposition under counterterrorism or cybercrime laws further contributed to a crisis in the rule of law; whereas in April 2025, 37 people were convicted in the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case”;

Strongly condemns the crackdown on any form of dissent in Tunisia and urges the HRVP and Member States to publicly denounce the deterioration of the human rights situation;

Urges the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Sonia Dahmani and all those detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression and/or association; demands to drop all charges against her and her sister;

Expresses deep concerns over her detention conditions, requiring the authorities to guarantee access to her lawyer and family members and to provide the necessary medical care;

Encourages the authorities to end all investigations and prosecutions based solely on the legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression;

Asks the authorities to promptly amend the Cybercrime Decree-Law 54, the penal code, the telecommunications code, anti-terrorism law articles and other abusive legislations used to limit freedom of expression and political freedoms;

Requires the Commission to review, with a view to suspend, the compatibility of the EU-Tunisia MoU with Article 2 and Article 21 of the Treaty in light of the decline of Tunisia’s human rights record and to tie future relations with Tunisia to genuine measurable human rights progress;

Takes note of the recent postponement of the Association Council and demands the Commission to make the human rights situation the main agenda item of any future meeting;

Insists that human rights are non-negotiable and should not be subordinated to migration management policies;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Tunisian authorities.