Tunisia’s top court upholds conviction of opposition figures, activists

By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters. Published On 3 Sep 20263 Sep 2026.

Key points

• The case is widely seen as emblematic of Tunisia's democratic backsliding since the election of Saied in 2019.
• Dalila Msaddek, whose brother Jawhar Ben Mbarek was among those convicted, wrote on Facebook that the legal battle is now over.
• The ruling on Thursday closes out three years of legal proceedings against 40 individuals, including opposition party leaders, lawyers, businessmen and human rights defenders.
• "The ruling confirms that the judiciary is not independent, " remarked Haifa Chebbi, a lawyer and Najib's daughter.
• Lawyers asserted they were notified of Thursday's hearing on Monday, leaving too little time to prepare a defence.

Tunisia's Court of Cassation has rejected in a mass trial the final appeal of dozens of opposition figures, upholding prison sentences of up to 45 years for figures accused of conspiring to overthrow President Kais Saied.

Meanwhile, the ruling on Thursday closes out three years of legal proceedings against 40 individuals, including opposition party leaders, lawyers, businessmen and human rights defenders. Half of those had fled the country and were sentenced in absentia.

Among those sentenced were National Salvation Front leader Najib Chebbi – sentenced to 12 years – and opposition figures Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek and Ridha Belhaj – each sentenced to 20 years. Politician Noureddine Bhiri was sentenced to 10 years.

"The ruling confirms that the judiciary is not independent, " remarked Haifa Chebbi, a lawyer and Najib's daughter. This person stated her father and other defendants were "silenced" through a case designed to imprison opposition figures. "Opponents entered prison by political decision and will leave when Saied falls."

Dalila Msaddek, whose brother Jawhar Ben Mbarek was among those convicted, wrote on Facebook that "the legal battle is now over. What begins is a purely political battle".

For context, the case is widely seen as emblematic of Tunisia's democratic backsliding since the election of Saied in 2019. This person has ruled largely by decree, dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed dozens of judges. Saied's administration has rejected accusations of political persecution.

Tunisia's justice minister has remarked the defendants sought to destabilise the country, and Saied himself described the accused as "traitors and terrorists" after their arrests in 2023, warning that judges who acquitted them would be treated as accomplices.

In short, tunisia's top court upholds conviction of opposition figures, activists is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.