resolution motion, 24 November 2025
On rule of law and human rights situation in Tunisia, particularly the case of Sonia Dahmani
Motion B-10-2025-0532 · (2025/2988(RSP))
on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: JanChristoph Oetjen, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Engin Eroglu, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar
AI:In short
This resolution condemns escalating repression in Tunisia, including arbitrary detentions and restrictions on freedoms, and demands the release of Sonia Dahmani and all political prisoners. It calls for repealing Decree-Law 2022-54, ensuring judicial independence, and making EU support conditional on human rights progress.
Key points
- Strongly condemns escalating repression in Tunisia, including arbitrary detentions, politically motivated persecutions, and restrictions on freedom of expression and association.
- Calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately release all individuals detained for exercising their rights and to cease intimidation of NGOs, lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders.
- Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Sonia Dahmani, guarantees for her physical and psychological integrity, and access to adequate medical care.
- Urges Tunisian authorities to drop all pending charges against Dahmani and quash all convictions from politically motivated proceedings.
- Calls on Tunisian authorities to repeal Decree-Law 2022-54 and revise all legislation restricting freedom of expression.
- Urges Tunisian authorities to guarantee judicial independence, prevent executive interference, reinstate all judges dismissed without due process, and ensure fair-trial guarantees.
- Calls on the EU and member states to make human rights, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms central to political dialogue, financial assistance, security cooperation, and migration agreements with Tunisia.
- Calls on the EU to condition non-urgent financial assistance on progress in restoring judicial independence, protecting civil society, and safeguarding fundamental rights.
Who is affected
- Tunisian authorities: must release detainees, repeal Decree-Law 2022-54, ensure judicial independence, and drop charges against Sonia Dahmani.
- Sonia Dahmani: would be released and have charges dropped, with guarantees for her integrity and medical care.
- EU and member states: must condition financial assistance and cooperation on human rights progress in Tunisia.
Figures and deadlines
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 22 paragraphs
B100532/2025
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 its previous resolutions on Tunisia,
having regard to the EU–Tunisia Association Agreement,
having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
having regard to the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy,
having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
whereas, since 2021 the Tunisian authorities have intensified a wide-ranging crackdown on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, independent civil society and political opposition;
whereas in 2025, the so-called “Conspiracy Case” was opened, whereas civil society activists and politicians like Rached Ghannouchi were victims of politically driven charges like lawyer Ahmed Souab, sentenced to five years in prison after a seven-minute trial; whereas numerous journalists have been prosecuted under Decree-Law 2022-54, systematically using alleged “fake news” to suppress dissenting voices; whereas activists on migration, anti-racism and refugee protection face arbitrary investigations, whereas restrictions on foreign financing apply to NGOs;
Read the rest (10 paragraphs)
whereas Sonia Dahmani, a 60-year-old lawyer and media commentator, has been arbitrarily detained since May 2024 with five separate legal cases initiated against her, based on her comments made on television and radio about migration, racism and detention conditions;
whereas Dahmani has already been sentenced to over four years in prison in three separate cases, based on Decree-Law 2022-54, whereas two further criminal cases against her could increase her sentence significantly.
whereas Dahmani is being held in inhumane conditions and denied adequate healthcare and medication;
1. Strongly condemns the escalating repression in Tunisia including arbitrary detentions, politically motivated persecutions and restrictions on freedom of expression and association; calls on the Tunisian authorities to immediately release all individuals detained for the exercise of their rights and to cease intimidation of NGOs, lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders;
2. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Dahmani, a guarantee for her physical and psychological integrity, access to adequate medical care and the release of all other political prisoners;
3. Urges the Tunisian authorities to drop all pending charges against Dahmani and to quash all convictions handed down in politically motivated proceedings;
4. Calls on Tunisian authorities to repeal Decree-Law 2022-54 and to revise all legislation restricting freedom of expression;
5. Urges the Tunisian authorities to guarantee judicial independence, prevent executive interference in judicial functions including the reinstatement of all judges dismissed without due process and to ensure fair-trial guarantees;
6. Calls on the EU and Member States to make human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms again the centre of political dialogue, financial assistance, security cooperation and migration agreements with Tunisia and to condition non-urgent financial assistance on progress in restoring judicial independence, protecting civil society and safeguarding fundamental rights;
7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President/High Representative, the President of the Republic of Tunisia, the Tunisian government and parliament, and the African Union.