Appeal from Behind Bars: Tunisia Needs Dialogue, Not Prisons and Political Trials

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Paris, July 6, 2026

The Free Voice organization has followed with great interest the recent joint letter issued by a number of detainees and political and civil society figures held in connection with opinion-related and political cases. The letter presented an assessment of the national situation and called for dialogue, unity, and collective alignment to save the country from its worsening crisis.

Free Voice considers that this letter, regardless of its authors’ political positions, represents a humanitarian and civic appeal worthy of careful consideration for both its content and the concern it expresses for Tunisia’s future. And based on Free Voice unwavering human rights principles and its universal commitment to defending rights and freedoms, wishes to affirm the following to the public:

First: Free Voice commands the ability of free thought to express itself and transcend the walls of detention. It views the letter’s calls for civil peace and the rejection of intellectual and political division as principles that align with the aspirations of Tunisian civil society to build an inclusive public sphere that accommodates all forms of expression and diversity of opinion.

Second: Free Voice affirms that the expression of opinions and political positions—including from places of detention—remains a right guaranteed under the Tunisian Constitution and international human rights conventions. It must not serve as grounds for any form of restriction, retaliation, or arbitrary measures.

Third: Free Voice reiterates its principled position calling for the improvement of the general political climate, the release of all prisoners of conscience and individuals detained because of their political, media, or civic activities, and the guarantee of their right to a fair trial conducted with full independence, impartiality, and respect for the presumption of innocence.

Fourth: Free Voice expresses its deep concern over the continuation of politically motivated trials and the accompanying indications of interference with judicial independence and the guarantees of a fair trial, which further exacerbate tensions, deepen divisions, and intensify the national crisis.

Fifth: Free Voice emphasizes that managing political and ideological differences within a framework of pluralism and respect for rights and freedoms is one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic state. Exclusion, accusations of disloyalty, and restrictions on those holding dissenting views cannot provide a foundation for stability or a path toward resolving the country’s crisis.

Sixth: Free Voice renews its affirmation that human rights and civic role is equidistant from all political and social currents. It supports every peaceful initiative aimed at protecting the democratic process and safeguarding both public and individual rights and freedoms

Seventh: Free Voice calls upon the Tunisian authorities to uphold their constitutional and international obligations, particularly those arising from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international instruments guaranteeing freedom of opinion, expression, and political and civic organization.

Eighth: Free Voice renews its call for the opening of serious and responsible channels of national dialogue based on respect for human rights, the rule of law, and political pluralism, considering this the best path to rescuing the country from its economic, social, and political crises, far removed from approaches based on exclusion or restrictions on civic space.

Free Voice will remain faithful to its role as an independent monitor of the state of rights and freedoms in Tunisia, supporting every peaceful effort that upholds the dignity and freedom of Tunisians. The organization believes that the current national crisis cannot be resolved through prisons, political trials, or the exclusion of those with differing opinions, but rather through inclusive national dialogue, respect for rights and freedoms, and the restoration of the rule of law and state institutions.