/ / TUNISIA: FREE ARBITRARILY DETAINED MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION

TUNISIA: FREE ARBITRARILY DETAINED MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION

UA: 42.26

Only 136 days left to join us and support this case!

On July 13 2024, Tunisian police arrested Ennahdha party members Ajmi Ourimi, Mohamed Ghannoudi, and Mosaab Gharbi in the Mannouba governorate during a routine identity check while traveling for personal reasons. Authorities later alleged that Ghannoudi was wanted by the police in connection with a terrorism investigation and opened proceedings against all three on suspicion of “participating in a terrorist group” and “providing support to a person suspected of involvement in terrorist acts.” They were referred to trial under Articles 13, 34 and 37 of the 2015 counterterrorism law and Article 32 of the Penal Code, provisions relating to participation in terrorist activities, providing assistance or shelter, failure to report alleged terrorism-related conduct and complicity. The three men have been in pretrial detention for 14 months, exceeding the legal limit.

Authorities must immediately drop all charges against them and release them as their arrest stems solely from their political affiliation.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: October 28, 2026

Here is how you can take action:

Send a letter to the Tunisia authorities
Send an email to the Tunisia authorities

Scroll down to Step 1 and Step 2 to access the full Urgent Action appeal, email to the Tunisian authorities, and sample letter

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Step 1

READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION

Enter your email address and zip code to get the sample letter to send to government officials

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You can now write a letter in your own words or download the sample below as a guide.

Remember to send your letter by October 28, 2026.

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Sample Letter

Your Excellency,

I write to express my concern about the arbitrary pretrial detention of Ennahdha Secretary-General Ajmi Ourimi and party members Mohamed Ghannoudi and Mosaab Gharbi, held since July 2024 on terrorism-related charges reportedly unsupported by credible evidence and apparently linked to their political affiliation. Their detention appears to stem from the exercise of their rights. It also exceeds Tunisia’s 14-month legal limit for pretrial detention.

Following months of investigation, a judge reportedly dismissed the charge of forming a terrorist group for lack of evidence. Nevertheless, Ourimi and Gharbi remain detained on allegations related to intending to provide shelter and failing to report suspected “terrorism” activity, without evidence of any recognizable crime under international law.

This case fits a broader pattern of prosecutions of Ennahdha members since parliament’s dissolution in 2022, often under counterterrorism laws and with repeated fair-trial concerns. After more than 14 months in pretrial detention without trial, continued detention contravenes both Tunisian law and the international principle that pretrial detention should be exceptional.

I urge you to immediately release Ajmi Ourimi, Mohamed Ghannoudi, and Mosaab Gharbi and to drop all charges against them, as their detention appears based solely on their rights and political affiliation.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

Step 2

Send your message

Mail your letter to the government officials listed below. You can also email, fax, call, or post about them on social media.

Send your letter to:

President of the Republic Kais Saied

Route de la Goulette
Site archéologique de Carthage, Tunisie

[email protected] @TnPresidency

and

CC: Tunisian Embassy in the United States, Ambassador Hanene Al-Tajouri Bessassi

Send a copy of your letter to the address below

1515 Massachusetts Avenue, NW,
Washington DC 20005

[email protected]

When writing your letter, don’t forget to be factual, brief, and show respect. See more letter writing tips and emails, or organize and host a letter writing party.

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