A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced anti-racism activist Saadia Mosbah to eight years in prison on financial misconduct charges, a ruling her lawyer condemned as “shocking” and politically motivated, marking the latest crackdown on civil society in the North African country.
The 66-year-old has been in custody for nearly two years. She led the anti-racism association M’nemty and was at the forefront of defending sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, particularly after President Kais Saied’s 2023 speech denouncing “hordes” of illegal migrants as a demographic threat.
Mosbah was arrested in May 2024 and investigated for money laundering and illicit enrichment. Her son received a three-year sentence, while another activist was handed two years.
A day before the hearing, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders urged authorities to release Mosbah, citing her age and health. The group said her prosecution is part of a context of growing repression of civil society in Tunisia.
