17 years, 10 trials: Abichou denounces ‘Flawed Justice’ in Tunisia

Franco-Tunisian citizen Onsi Abichou, imprisoned in Tunisia for alleged drug trafficking, has vowed to stop eating to protest what he calls a “flagrant miscarriage of justice,” his lawyers said Friday.

Abichou, incarcerated for over 17 years, has faced a labyrinth of legal proceedings: 10 trials, 4 default judgments, 4 acquittals, and repeated appeals by prosecutors. He has been tried twice for the same case, stemming from a 2008 cannabis bust involving a van he once owned. A suspect who initially accused him later recanted, citing torture during interrogation.

Despite his consistent claims of innocence, Abichou was re-arrested in 2021 after being briefly freed in 2011 following Tunisia’s revolution. His French lawyers, William Bourdon and Lily Ravon, warn he is in grave psychological distress and denied pardon, while others convicted in the same case have long been released.

Abichou’s 11th trial is expected soon. His legal team is urging urgent international attention, saying: “He has decided to let himself die.”