Former judge and lawyer Ahmed Souab has decided to appeal the verdict pronounced against him on October 31, 2025 by the specialized criminal chamber of the anti-terrorism judicial center. The decision was confirmed Monday November 3 by his brother, Mongi Souab.
Sentenced to five years in prison with three years of administrative supervision, Ahmed Souab learned the news today, Monday November 3, 2025, with “ high morale », according to the testimony of Mongi Souab. The lawyer immediately asked his defense committee to initiate the appeal process, while expressing his gratitude to those who showed him their support — lawyers, activists, human rights organizations and associations in Tunisia and abroad.
The trial, it should be remembered, was held in conditions denounced by the defense as unfair. The hearing, in which Ahmed Souab had refused to participate remotely, lasted only a few minutes. The lawyers were not allowed to argue before the court moved on to the next case and announced that the verdict would be delivered at the end of the session.
The former magistrate was prosecuted for “ incitement to commit a terrorist act » and “hasharm to the internal security of the State » on the basis of a metaphor mentioned during a previous hearing in the so-called “plot against state security” case. By miming a knife to the throat, Ahmed Souab intended, according to his lawyers, to illustrate the pressure exerted by the executive power on judges.
Several voices, in Tunisia and abroad, described this conviction as political and called for his release, denouncing a new blow to freedom of expression and the independence of justice.
M.B.Z
