(AI Translated) Chadha Haj Mabrek is a Tunisian journalist who was arrested by Tunisian police officers in civilian clothes at the Instalingo headquarters and placed in pre‑trial detention on 10 September 2021, in the context of the “Instalingo case.” The Anadolu agency reports that she was detained as early as 2021 by the Tunisian military justice system.

Instalingo is a company based in El Kantaoui, Sousse, specialized in content creation and digital communication. Its premises were searched on 10 September 2021 following information indicating its alleged involvement in “an attack on state security, money laundering and defamation via social networks.”

Among the persons targeted are also security officials, bloggers, journalists, businessmen and politicians, including the president of the Ennahdha movement, Rached Ghannouchi, former prime minister Hichem Mechichi, and former director of the presidential office, Nadia Akacha. They are accused of “conspiracy against state security, attempt to alter the regime and dissemination of defamatory information targeting the president of the Republic,” pursuant to articles 61, 62 bis and 67 of the Penal Code.

On 17 September 2021, she was heard by a judge of the first‑instance court of Sousse, who ordered her release pending further investigation. In November 2021, the public prosecutor appealed this decision and an arrest warrant was issued against her.

On 16 June 2023, the investigating judge decided to close the investigation and drop the charges. However, following the prosecutor’s appeal, the criminal chamber sentenced her on 20 July 2023 to a prison term for “attacks on state security.” She was arrested the same day at her home in Kélibia.

On 5 February 2025, she was sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to “change the form of government.” She is incarcerated at Messaadine prison. The National Union of Tunisian Journalists expressed solidarity with her after this conviction and announced that it will appeal the decision.