Tunisia Orders One-Month Suspension of Human Rights League

The organization is among the oldest rights groups in Africa and the Arab world. It is part of the National Dialogue Quartet, which received the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. The league confirmed the suspension in a statement issued late Friday. The group described the decision as a violation of freedom of association and stated it would challenge the measure in court.

The league also said it would continue to defend victims of rights violations.

President Kais Saied has held power since 2021 and has cited foreign funding as a concern for some rights groups. The suspension follows actions last year when courts ordered multiple nongovernmental organizations to halt activities for a month. These included groups focused on migrants' and women's rights.

The decision occurs amid other developments, including the 48-hour detention of journalist Zied El-Heni over a Facebook post. Mohamed Yassine Jlassi, former president of the Tunisian journalists union SNJT, told the Associated Press that hundreds of people have been detained over speech-related charges, including social media posts.

The investigative outlet Inkyfada faces a court hearing on May 11 related to the potential dissolution of Al Khatt, the association that publishes it. The group stated it disputes the legal basis of the case and noted that the claims have not been examined by Tunisian courts since 2024.