ABDALLAH
SAÏD
Abdallah Saïd was arrested in Tunisia on 12 November 2024 and charged with money laundering, forming a criminal association, and undermining state security. He remains in detention awaiting trial.
- Country
- Tunisia
- Role
- Humanitarian worker
- Arrested
- 12 Nov 2024
- Status
- Pre-trial · no verdict
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Held without verdict for
570 days.
Days in pre-trial detention since the morning of 12 November 2024. Counter live · updates daily at 00:00 UTC
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Arrest
Arrest
Abdallah Saïd was arrested in Tunisia and charged with money laundering, forming a criminal association, and undermining the external security of the state.
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Arrest
Arrested by Tunisian Economic and Financial Investigation Unit
On 12 November 2024, Abdallah Saïd, activist and president of the Enfants de la Lune association in Médenine (which provides social and health services to refugee, migrant, and unaccompanied children), was taken into custody by the Tunisian Economic and Financial Investigation Unit. He was charged with money laundering and conspiracy against state security. Sources: Sea-Watch, Statewatch, Committee for Justice.
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Case update
Charges of money laundering and state security dismissed; hearing postponed
On 3 February 2026, the Primary Court of Medenine postponed the first hearing in the case until 21 April 2026. The charges of "undermining external state security" and "money laundering" were formally dismissed at the end of the investigation phase, clearly indicating their lack of substance. Source: Karim2k (Tunisian rights analyst), JURIST News.
Approved
The arrest, and what followed.
The Arrest
Abdallah Saïd was arrested on 12 November 2024 in Tunisia. Authorities charged him with money laundering, forming a criminal association, and undermining the external security of the state. These charges are commonly deployed by Tunisian authorities to target individuals perceived as threats to the government, often without substantive evidence or transparent legal proceedings.
The Charges
The charge of undermining external security is particularly concerning. It has been used extensively since 2021 to prosecute journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, and civil society actors. The provision carries lengthy prison sentences and is often applied in cases where no credible threat to national security exists.
The money laundering and criminal association charges further compound the legal jeopardy Saïd faces. These accusations are frequently combined with political charges to delegitimize defendants and complicate their defense.
Detention and Legal Status
Saïd remains in pretrial detention. No information has been made public regarding the conditions of his detention, his access to legal counsel, or the progress of his case. The lack of transparency is consistent with patterns observed in other prosecutions under similar charges in Tunisia, where defendants are held for extended periods without trial and with limited access to lawyers or family.
Context
Tunisia has seen a sharp deterioration in civic space and judicial independence since 2021. Dozens of journalists, lawyers, activists, and opposition figures have been arrested on charges related to national security, conspiracy, or financial crimes. Many of these prosecutions lack credible evidence and proceed in violation of international fair trial standards.
Saïd's case reflects this broader environment of judicial harassment and the instrumentalization of criminal law to silence dissent.
Sources on file with HuMENA EditorialReading time · 6 minutes
Tunisia has used national security charges to silence critics, and Abdallah Saïd's detention is part of that pattern.HuMENA Editorial · 2026
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Compiled by HuMENA's Tunisia research team from primary documentation, public filings, family-supplied legal documents, and confidential partner reporting. Editorial responsibility: HuMENA Editorial Board.
Editorial sign-off · published