Statement of Support for Human Rights Activist Salwa Ghraisa 📢📢

The Campaign Against the Criminalization of Civil Action, together with the undersigned organizations and associations, expresses its deep concern over the continued detention of university professor and human rights activist Salwa Ghraisa, Executive Director of the Association for the Activation of the Right to Difference. Her detention follows the opening of an investigation amid widespread smear and incitement campaigns targeting her personally and the association on social media.

Salwa Ghraisa is widely recognized for her unwavering commitment to the values of citizenship, freedom of expression, the right to dissent, and active participation in public life. Since the founding of the Association for the Activation of the Right to Difference on April 15, 2011, she has been engaged in peaceful civil action aimed at promoting a culture of human rights and strengthening the rule of law and institutions.

However, she has been in detention since December 10, 2024, and remains deprived of her liberty more than 448 days later. This prolonged detention takes place within a judicial context that raises serious concerns regarding respect for fair trial guarantees, the presumption of innocence, and the right to defense—particularly in a climate marked by defamation, incitement, and hate campaigns.

We believe that the continuation of pretrial detention for such an extended period contravenes constitutional and international standards, which establish liberty as the rule and detention as an exceptional measure to be applied only in strictly limited circumstances.

The protection of human rights defenders is both a legal and moral obligation of the State, as enshrined in international conventions ratified by Tunisia.

Accordingly, we:

• Express our full and unconditional solidarity with Salwa Ghraisa.

• Call for her immediate release and for a fair trial that fully guarantees her right to defense.

• Demand an end to defamation and incitement campaigns targeting civil society actors.

As Salwa Ghraisa is scheduled to appear for the first time before the Court of First Instance in Bizerte on Thursday, March 5, 2026, the Campaign Against the Criminalization of Civil Action and all undersigned associations and organizations call on citizens to mobilize in large numbers in her support, in defense of freedom of civil action and in rejection of the criminalization of humanitarian and civic work.

🔻 Salwa Ghraisa needs your solidarity.
🔻 Be there.

Signatories:

• Nashaz Association

• Renewal Forum

• Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights

• Mawjoudin – Initiative for Equality

• Al-Bawsala Organization

• Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms

• Women’s Voices Association

• Biti Association

• Tunisian Association for the Defense of Individual Freedoms

• Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality

• Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia

• I Watch Organization