Freed Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani says release a 'major surprise'

Freed Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani says release a 'major surprise'

Having just been released from prison, Tunisian lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani told AFP on Thursday that her freedom was a "major surprise".

Freed Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani says release a 'major surprise'

The sharp critic of President Kais Saied was granted conditional release hours earlier, following 18 months in prison over comments she made on radio and television denouncing racism in Tunisia.

Her imprisonment was based on a presidential decree that criminalises the spreading of false information, which has come under fierce criticism from rights groups.

Here is her interview with AFP.

Did you expect to be released?

"Honestly, when they told me to leave I thought that it was to change prisons. And finally, it was the end of this nightmare.

"I was extremely surprised, I didn't expect it at all. But when one is granted conditional release, one never knows in advance. It's like this for all prisoners. They come to inform you and you leave right away. For me, it was a shock and emotional."

What were your detention conditions like?

"They are practically the same as in all prisons. The only women's prison is La Manouba civil prison. Unfortunately, it is an old prison and does not meet standards at all. The basics are there, but it is far from comfortable. We would like more space, because the prisons are overcrowded. We would like better hygiene conditions, better food, etc."

Now that you are out on conditional release, what will happen to you?

"I have several ongoing cases, still based on Decree 54 against 'fake news'. I have to appear before a judge tomorrow morning already, at the court of appeal. And another case is scheduled for December 26. There is also an investigation for which I have not yet been heard, also based on Decree 54.

"I am not a woman to flee or avoid the courts. I will present myself each time I am summoned and we will see it through to the end, waiting for the infamous Article 24 to be abolished.

"The path to hell is paved with good intentions. That decree was promulgated at the time to prevent abuses on social media, but in the end, it was very poorly interpreted.

"But it won't last a long time. Everyone has fully realised that this Article 24 is extremely dangerous for our freedoms and so I think that we will see all these people detained under Article 24 of Decree 54 being released."

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