Tunisian Court orders release of opposition figure Sihem Bensedrine

A Tunisian court ordered the release of Sihem Bensedrine, one of the country's most prominent human rights activists, who had been detained since August 2024, the spokesperson for the Tunis Court of Appeal told AFP on Wednesday.

Bensedrine, the former head of the Truth and Dignity Commission (IVD), was accused of falsifying sections of the commission’s final report. The IVD was established after the 2011 revolution to investigate human rights violations and political repression during Tunisia's past regimes.

Despite her release, Bensedrine remains under legal prosecution and has been banned from traveling, according to Habib Torkhani, the court's spokesperson.

Her case has drawn international attention, with rights groups and opposition figures condemning what they see as a crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied's government. The ruling marks a significant moment in Tunisia’s ongoing political and judicial turmoil.