During the joint plenary session devoted to the 2026 budget of the Ministry of Justice, Minister Leïla Jaffel revealed, Saturday evening, figures which illustrate the massive impact of Law No. 41 of 2024 on bad check cases. According to her, 63,560 people have already benefited from the provisions of this text which establishes a penal conciliation mechanism.
Jaffel indicated that 1,592 detainees involved in check cases had their situation regularized, leading to their release. This measure concerned both people incarcerated before the law came into force and others placed in detention subsequently.
Immediate result: the number of prisoners for bad checks fell to 222, including 82 in preventive detention and 140 convicted, as of October 14, 2025. There were 442 prisoners in August 2024.
43,332 people already in a regularized situation
The ministry has issued 43,332 definitive regularization certificates, proof that the process is progressing quickly. At the same time, 20,228 people are still in the process of resolving their legal situation.
Beyond its effects on courts and prisons, the law seems to transform the payment habits of Tunisians.
According to the minister, the use of checks has been reduced by a third: from 12.254 million checks issued in 2024, the volume fell to 4.066 million in 2025.
At the same time, other payment methods are gaining momentum:
- “The bill of exchange: from 833,000 documents in the first half of 2024 to 2.124 million over the same period in 2025.
- Electronic transfers: a spectacular jump from 16.914 million in the first half of 2024 to 37.687 million in 2025.
