Tunisia frees NGO worker Sherifa Riahi after 20 months

After 20 months of detention, Sherifa Riahi, the former director of the French NGO Terre d’Asile, has been released from prison in Tunisia. Along with two colleagues, she was freed after a Tunisian court issued suspended sentences on charges related to facilitating the illegal entry and residence of migrants.

Riahi described the emotional impact of her detention, highlighting the isolation and separation from her family as the most challenging aspects. She indicated that the lack of communication with the outside world and concerns about seeing her loved ones again were particularly distressing.

Riahi raised concerns about what she perceives as the criminalization of humanitarian efforts in Tunisia. She clarified that her organization's mission was to support asylum seekers and migrants in vulnerable situations while helping Tunisia manage migration more effectively.

Legal Context and Operational Background

Riahi and her colleagues were arrested in May 2024, and she asserts that their operations were lawful under a state-approved program. Terre d’Asile has been active in Tunisia since 2012, working closely with government institutions through signed agreements and official recognitions, which Riahi believes makes the prosecution difficult to comprehend.

Migration is a sensitive topic in Tunisia, a significant transit point for individuals attempting to reach Europe. President Kais Saied has adopted a stringent stance on migration, warning in February 2023 about the demographic threat posed by illegal migrants, primarily from sub-Saharan Africa. His remarks led to racially motivated attacks and displacement of many migrants from their communities and jobs.

Based on reporting by Africanews.