The criminal chamber specializing in terrorism cases of the court of first instance of Tunis sentenced, this Friday, October 31, 2025, lawyer Ahmed Souab to five years in prison and three years of administrative supervision.
This decision follows the referral ordered by the specialized indictment chamber to the Tunis Court of Appeal, which considered that there was reason to bring Ahmed Souab before the criminal court.
The former magistrate is being prosecuted for statements deemed offensive to the criminal chamber responsible for the “conspiracy against state security No. 1” case, a highly sensitive matter in the current political climate.
An expeditious audience
The hearing, held the day before at the Tunis court of first instance, lasted only seven minutes.
Ahmed Souab refused to appear, denouncing the procedure and contesting the jurisdiction of the court.
No pleadings were presented, and the court immediately decided to put the case under advisement before pronouncing the verdict this Friday.
The conviction of the former judge arouses strong reactions in judicial and political circles.
Some denounce a decision which undermines freedom of expression and the independence of the bar, while others believe that it reaffirms the authority of judicial institutions in the face of positions considered excessive.
A critical figure of the executive power, Ahmed Souab became one of the first lawyers convicted by a chamber specializing in terrorism cases.
This verdict, which could still be the subject of an appeal, takes place in a context of growing tensions between magistrates, lawyers and political power, where justice appears more than ever at the heart of public debate.
Also read:
Samir Dilou, the hearing took place in conditions considered “surreal”
