Tunisian commentator Sonia Dahmani sentenced to 1 year

New York, July 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a Tunisian court’s sentencing of lawyer and political commentator Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison on Saturday and calls for her immediate release.

“The sentencing of Tunisian lawyer and commentator Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison for her political commentary is a clear injustice and a demonstration of how President Kais Saied is targeting independent journalism ahead of the October presidential elections,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna. “Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Dahmani, drop all charges against her, and allow journalists to work freely.

The Court of First Instance convicted Dahmani, a lawyer and political affairs commentator for local independent radio station IFM and television channel Carthage Plus, of spreading false news and sentenced her to one year in prison on Saturday, July 6, in the capital, Tunis. Dahmani was arrested on May 11 over political comments she made on Carthage Plus earlier that month.

Tunisian authorities have made many political arrests ahead of the scheduled October 6 presidential elections. On May 22, a Tunis court sentenced IFM journalists Borhen Bssais and Mourad Zghidi to one year in prison after convicting them of defamation and spreading false news for their political commentary.

CPJ’s email to the Tunisian Ministry of Interior did not receive a response.