Two aid workers accused of assisting irregular migration in Tunisia were sentenced Monday to two years in prison, with four months suspended. Mustapha Djemali, 81, head of the Tunisian Refugee Council, and project manager Abderrazek Krimi faced charges of sheltering migrants and facilitating illegal entry.
Their lawyer said both men will be released immediately, having already served the majority of their sentences, offering some relief to their families. Yusra Djemali, daughter of the TRC chief, called the ruling “unjust” but expressed relief that her father would leave prison Monday night.
This was the first trial stemming from a May 2024 crackdown that saw more than a dozen aid workers detained across Tunisia. Human Rights Watch had urged authorities to drop charges, warning that some defendants could face up to a decade behind bars.
The TRC collaborated with the UN refugee agency to screen asylum applications and provide emergency accommodation for refugees, lawyers said in court. Three other TRC members, charged similarly, were acquitted, highlighting the legal complexities surrounding humanitarian work in Tunisia.
Lawyers insisted their clients acted legally and in partnership with international organisations to deliver essential protection to asylum seekers. Migration remains a sensitive issue in Tunisia, a transit point for thousands attempting to reach Europe each year.
President Kais Saied’s February 2023 speech blaming sub-Saharan migrants triggered attacks, mass repatriations, and deadly expulsions to desert borders. The EU has sought to curb arrivals with a 255-million-euro ($290-million) deal with Tunis, increasing scrutiny on humanitarian operations.
