“Namaa Tounes” case: Postponement of the trial and continued detention

The specialized criminal chamber of the court of first instance of Tunis has once again adjourned the examination of the “Namaa Tounes” case. Requests for release were rejected, keeping the president of the association, Abdelkrim Slimane, and several members prosecuted in this case in detention.

This new referral extends an already very busy case, marked by serious suspicions of suspicious foreign financing and money laundering.

A hearing postponed without major progress

During the hearing on November 28, the specialized court chose to postpone the examination of the file, thus postponing a decision expected for several months. The court did not accept any of the requests filed by the defense, in particular those relating to the provisional release of the detained defendants.

The main accused, Abdelkrim Slimane, president of the “Namaa Tounes” association, therefore remains in detention. Other members prosecuted in this same case – some incarcerated, others appearing at liberty – are affected by the same refusal.

A heavy file of suspicious foreign financing

The “Namaa Tounes” case concerns accusations of money laundering and receipt of foreign funds whose origin is considered doubtful by the judicial authorities. The amounts concerned amount to several million dinars, transferred within the framework of associative activities whose transparency is contested.

This funding was allegedly received without respecting legal reporting procedures, which triggered the opening of an in-depth investigation. It is in light of these elements that the indictment chamber of the Court of Appeal ordered the appearance of the members of the association before the specialized criminal chamber.

An emblematic affair followed closely

The association, long active under the guise of social projects and international partnerships, finds itself at the center of a file that has become emblematic of the control of financial flows in the associative sector.

The continued detention and repeated postponement of the trial demonstrate the sensitivity of the case and the importance given by the authorities to the verification of foreign funding received by organizations operating in Tunisia.

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