Sonia and Ramlah Dahmani: Two sisters suffering to protect independent media in Tunisia
Published: Jul 16, 2025 Reading time: 2 minutes Share: Share an articleSonia and Ramlah Dahmani are two sisters from Tunisia; like many sisters the world over, they have shared interests. However, in Tunisia, their shared interest—freedom of speech—has earned them the ire of the Tunisian state.
Sonia Dahmani, a journalist, has been unjustly sentenced by the Tunisian government to five years in prison. Her crime? Commenting on government activities— that is to say, doing her job as a journalist.
Her sister, Ramlah, likewise faces persecution for discussing the government’s unjust imprisonment of her sister. She was sentenced—in absentia—to two years' imprisonment.
We have joined the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)-led call to release Sonia; you can read it here. We have also joined the MENA Rights Group-led call to have charges against Ramlah dropped; you can find this here.
The cases against the Dahmani sisters underscore the fact that in Tunisia, independent media are under pressure. Organisations such as Reporters Sans Frontières report a dramatic decline in press freedom in the country, which now ranks at 129 of 180 countries on the RSF World Press Freedom Index.
Consequently, threats to journalists, lawyers, public commentators, and those wishing to maintain freedom of expression have become severe. Tunisian authorities have ramped up repression through the use of Decree No. 54 of 2022. This opaque decree criminalises the dissemination of “false information” via communication networks. The decree is used to suppress peaceful expression and legitimate criticism—both Sonia and Ramlah have been prosecuted under this law.
We urge the Tunisian authorities to:
- Immediately release Ms. Sonia Dahmani and drop all charges in the pending cases against her and her sister, Ms. Ramla Dahmani;
- End the abusive application of Decree 54 and ensure all laws governing media and expression comply with international standards;
- Restore enforcement of Decree 115 and constitutional protections for press freedom and free expression;
We stand with journalists and independent media actors in Tunisia and around the world. And, we remind you that freedom of opinion and expression are fundamental human rights, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The rights that the Dahmani sisters are being punished for for are also your rights. We need you to help us amplify these calls. Share them so that the world can see what is happening to human rights in Tunisia.
