(AI translated) Tunisian activist committed to defending the rights of migrants and refugees. She served as executive director of the non-governmental organisation ‘Tunisie Terre d’Asile’, which provides legal and social support to asylum seekers and refugees in Tunisia.

She joined the Terre d'Asile Tunisie team in 2016 and was coordinator of the Maison du droit et des migrations (House of Law and Migration) in Sfax from July 2017. She was also director of Terre d'Asile Tunisie from 2019 until April 2023.

In May 2024, Chérifa Riahi was arrested as part of a crackdown by the Tunisian authorities on associations working for migrants' rights. She was taken into custody on suspicion of money laundering under Law 2015-26 on the fight against terrorism and money laundering. This arrest is part of a broader context of pressure on Tunisian civil society, particularly on women activists, journalists and politicians, who face prosecution and imprisonment for their activism.

Chérifa Riahi is known for her integrity and commitment to human rights. Her arrest has sparked outrage among several human rights organisations, which denounce the unfounded charges and call for her immediate release.