human rights defender
Sonia Dahmani
Actions and Campaigns
Sonia Dahmani
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Organization affiliation
- Ordre national des avocats de Tunisie (ONAT)
HRD's year of birth
1968
HRD's Gender
Woman
Type of HRD
- Lawyer
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
HRD's geographical origin
Urban
Current Status
Released on parole
HRD's bio and work
(AI translated) Sonia Dahmani is a well-known Tunisian lawyer and influential media columnist. She is particularly well known for her outspoken and critical views on political and social issues in Tunisia. As a columnist, she has appeared on popular programmes such as ‘Émission Impossible’ and ‘Denya Zida’.
Sonia Dahmani is also the mother of a daughter.
Detained since
May 11, 2024
Date of release
Nov 27, 2025
Charge(s)
- Spreading fake news
Sentence
(AI translated) A total of six years and two months in prison for comments on conditions in Tunisian prisons and racism towards sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, under Decree-Law 54 on cybercrime, which has been criticised for curtailing freedom of expression.
Latitude: 36.803894080089094
Longitude: 10.092583894729616
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Africa: Northern Africa
Location of detention - City/Town
Tunis
Location of detention - Facility
Prison Manouba
Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
(AI translated) While in detention, Sonia Dahmani suffered various forms of ill-treatment, including: deprivation of movement, denial of access to appropriate medical care, and prohibition from walking or even stretching.
Recent case update / evolution
(AI translated) In May 2024, Sonia Dahmani was arrested by plainclothes security forces at the headquarters of the Bar Association in Tunis, following statements she made on a television programme, accusing her of spreading false information under Decree-Law 54. This arrest sparked a wave of solidarity, particularly from the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), which went on strike in protest.
In October 2024, while already in detention, Sonia Dahmani was sentenced to an additional two years in prison, heightening concerns about freedom of expression in Tunisia.
On 30 June 2025, Sonia Dahmani was sentenced to an additional two years in prison.
On 27 November 2025, Sonia Dahmani was released on parole.
On 13 April 2026, the Tunis Court of Appeals sentenced Sonia Dahmani to one year and six months in prison in the “Racism 2” case for violating Decree-Law 54.
On 25 May 2026, the Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Sonia Dahmani to two years’ imprisonment under Decree-Law 54 for comments she made in 2023 criticising conditions in Tunisian prisons. This is Sonia Dahmani’s fourth conviction under Decree-Law 54.
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's year of birth
- 1968
- HRD's Gender
- Woman
- Type of HRD
- Lawyer
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Organization affiliation
- Ordre national des avocats de Tunisie (ONAT)
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
(AI translated) Sonia Dahmani is a well-known Tunisian lawyer and influential media columnist. She is particularly well known for her outspoken and critical views on political and social issues in Tunisia. As a columnist, she has appeared on popular programmes such as ‘Émission Impossible’ and ‘Denya Zida’.
Sonia Dahmani is also the mother of a daughter.
- HRD's geographical origin
- Urban
- Country or area of detention
- Region of detention
- Africa: Northern Africa
- Location of detention - City/Town
- Tunis
- Location of detention - Facility
- Prison Manouba
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 36.803894080089094
Longitude: 10.092583894729616
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- May 11, 2024
- Current Status
- Released on parole
- Date of release
- Nov 27, 2025
- Charge(s)
- Spreading fake news
- Sentence
(AI translated) A total of six years and two months in prison for comments on conditions in Tunisian prisons and racism towards sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, under Decree-Law 54 on cybercrime, which has been criticised for curtailing freedom of expression.
- Recent case update / evolution
(AI translated) In May 2024, Sonia Dahmani was arrested by plainclothes security forces at the headquarters of the Bar Association in Tunis, following statements she made on a television programme, accusing her of spreading false information under Decree-Law 54. This arrest sparked a wave of solidarity, particularly from the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), which went on strike in protest.
In October 2024, while already in detention, Sonia Dahmani was sentenced to an additional two years in prison, heightening concerns about freedom of expression in Tunisia.
On 30 June 2025, Sonia Dahmani was sentenced to an additional two years in prison.
On 27 November 2025, Sonia Dahmani was released on parole.
On 13 April 2026, the Tunis Court of Appeals sentenced Sonia Dahmani to one year and six months in prison in the “Racism 2” case for violating Decree-Law 54.
On 25 May 2026, the Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Sonia Dahmani to two years’ imprisonment under Decree-Law 54 for comments she made in 2023 criticising conditions in Tunisian prisons. This is Sonia Dahmani’s fourth conviction under Decree-Law 54.
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
(AI translated) While in detention, Sonia Dahmani suffered various forms of ill-treatment, including: deprivation of movement, denial of access to appropriate medical care, and prohibition from walking or even stretching.
- Protection actions and campaigns
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
Supporting files
sorted by
Date added
6 relationships, 5 entities