Hommam Al Nassim 
The Tunisian journalist and lawyer Sonia Al-Dahmani is facing defamation charges after mocking her country during a talk about illegal immigration.
The charges were based on Decree 54, which allows the judiciary to investigate electronic publishing crimes and refer the accused to trial.
Dahmani is known for her bold stance, criticizing advocates of illegal immigration, settling in Tunisia, and mocking Tunisia as a country for refugee settlement.
Her remarks, which were broadcast live on Carthage TV, received wide reactions and sparked controversy in social and political circles.
Against the background of her television statements, the judicial authorities summoned her to appear in court, but Dahmani refused to attend without explaining the reasons behind the summons, prompting the investigative judge to issue an arrest warrant against her.
Tunisia’s lawyers announced a general strike on Sunday in all the country’s major courts over Dahmani’s arrest.
In a related context, judicial sources reported that investigations are also underway with Tunisian journalists Burhan Besais and Mourad Zghidi by the security authorities, with the permission of the Public Prosecution.
Decree 54, passed in September 2022, has been used to prosecute more than 60 people, including journalists and lawyers.
Tunisia is suffering from an illegal migration crisis, and since the beginning of this year more than 22,500 migrants have been intercepted off the Tunisian coast, including some 11,000 sub-Saharan Africans.
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