Ayachi Hammemi
Lawyer and human rights monitor; spokesperson for the committee defending 57 magistrates arbitrarily dismissed by presidential decree in 2022.
as of 06 Jun 2026
in Tunisia
A purely political decision — a strategy of fear, stigmatisation, and the manufacture of internal enemies to silence critical voices.HuMENA Editorial
Issued Saturday, 6 June 2026
§ 01Background and the caseEditorial narrative
Ayachi Hammemi is a lawyer who defended 57 judges dismissed by presidential decree in 2022. Arrested in December 2025 while representing defendants in a politically charged case, he was sentenced to five years in prison.
Background and Work
Ayachi Hammemi is a lawyer who has built his career representing individuals in politically sensitive and human rights cases. He has consistently challenged abuses of power and advocated for civil liberties, judicial independence, and the rule of law in Tunisia.
In June 2022, Hammemi became spokesperson for the committee defending 57 magistrates dismissed by presidential decree. This role placed him at the centre of efforts to uphold judicial independence in Tunisia, a position that exposed him to sustained harassment and reprisals from the authorities.
In a video released shortly before his arrest, Hammemi denounced what he called a "purely political decision" and announced the immediate start of a hunger strike. He described a deliberate strategy aimed at instilling fear, stigmatising dissent, and manufacturing "internal enemies" to silence and neutralise critical voices in the country.
The Arrest and Criminalisation of His Work
Hammemi began his involvement in the case as legal counsel for defendants. In May 2023, however, he was added to the list of suspects, effectively criminalising his professional work. Formal charges followed in October 2023.
Following the charges, authorities imposed a travel ban and limitations on his public engagement, constraining both his professional activities as a lawyer and his human rights advocacy.
On 2 December 2025, Hammemi was arrested. The arrest marked a clear escalation connected to his work defending dismissed judges and advocating for human rights in Tunisia.
Legal Proceedings
Hammemi has been targeted in multiple judicial proceedings. One case is based on Decree-Law 54 concerning alleged violations of information and communication systems. The charges arose from statements he made as a lawyer criticising the Minister of Justice for failing to comply with a court order reinstating judges dismissed in 2022.
At first instance, Hammemi was sentenced to eight years in prison. On appeal, the sentence was reduced to five years of imprisonment accompanied by two years of administrative supervision. Despite the reduction, the sentence remains severe and disproportionate.
The case raises serious concerns about judicial independence, the criminalisation of legal defence work, and violations of fair trial guarantees in Tunisia.
Detention Conditions and Health
On 12 January 2026, Hammemi's family reported that prison authorities had arbitrarily denied his lawyers' requests to visit him, further restricting his right to legal counsel.
In protest of his detention and conviction, Hammemi initiated a hunger strike on 2 December 2025, the day of his arrest. The strike lasted 43 days and ended on 14 January 2026.
During the hunger strike, Hammemi experienced significant weight loss and his physical condition deteriorated sharply. Vital organs were at risk of failure, and he faced imminent risk of coma or death. Medical evidence and testimonies from his lawyers confirm that his health reached a critical stage due to the prolonged hunger strike.
He remains in a fragile state, requiring ongoing medical monitoring and urgent care. The authorities bear full responsibility for safeguarding his life and physical integrity.
Violations of Fair Trial and International Law
Hammemi's prosecution exemplifies the troubling trend of targeting lawyers for performing their professional duties, in violation of international standards protecting legal independence and the right to defence.
The case involves the conflation of roles between lawyer and accused, disproportionate sentencing, and apparent retaliation for his human rights advocacy, all of which undermine the right to a fair and impartial trial.
The restrictions on access to legal counsel, arbitrary detention, and treatment in prison contravene Article 9, 14, and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), and the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
Tunisia has obligations under the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to protect individuals who peacefully defend human rights. Hammemi's arrest, detention, and life-threatening hunger strike clearly violate these obligations and contribute to an atmosphere of intimidation against lawyers and human rights defenders in the country.
§ 02Documented chronology16 events on file
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01 Jun 2022Wednesday
other Becomes spokesperson for dismissed judges Hammemi became spokesperson for the committee defending 57 magistrates arbitrarily dismissed by presidential decree, a role that exposed him to sustained harassment.
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01 May 2023Monday
other Added to suspect list while acting as counsel Initially serving as legal counsel for defendants, Hammemi was added to the list of suspects, effectively criminalising his professional work.
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01 May 2023Monday
other Charged in 'conspiracy case' Ayachi Hammami was charged with failing to report a terrorist organisation and belonging to one, in the politically motivated 'conspiracy case.'
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01 Oct 2023Sunday
other Formal charges filed Formal charges were filed against Hammemi following his addition to the suspect list in May.
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01 Oct 2023Sunday
other Travel ban and restrictions imposed Hammemi was subjected to a travel ban and limitations on public engagement, constraining his professional and human rights activities.
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01 Oct 2023Sunday
other Travel ban and public-appearance ban imposed The investigating judge imposed a travel ban and prohibited Ayachi from appearing in public, severely restricting his professional and advocacy work.
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01 Jan 2024Monday
verdict Convicted at first instance Ayachi was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison at first instance.
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01 Jun 2024Saturday
sentence Sentence reduced on appeal to five years The appeal court reduced Ayachi's sentence to five years in prison, followed by two years of administrative supervision.
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01 Sep 2024Sunday
hunger · strike · start Began 43-day hunger strike Ayachi began a hunger strike in protest against his unjust detention.
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13 Oct 2024Sunday
hunger · strike · end Ended hunger strike after severe health deterioration After 43 days, Ayachi ended his hunger strike due to life-threatening weight loss and risk of organ failure.
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02 Dec 2025Tuesday
arrest Arrested Hammemi was arrested in a clear escalation connected to his work defending dismissed judges and advocating for human rights.
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02 Dec 2025Tuesday
hunger · strike · start Begins hunger strike Hammemi initiated a hunger strike on the day of his arrest to protest the systematic criminalisation of opposition voices and politically motivated trials.
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01 Jan 2026Thursday
verdict Sentenced at first instance to eight years Hammemi was sentenced to eight years in prison at first instance.
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01 Jan 2026Thursday
sentence Appeal reduces sentence to five years The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to five years in prison plus two years of administrative supervision, though the sentence remains severe and disproportionate.
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12 Jan 2026Monday
lawyer · visit · denied Lawyers denied access Prison authorities arbitrarily denied his lawyers' requests to visit, further restricting his right to legal counsel.
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14 Jan 2026Wednesday
hunger · strike · end Ends 43-day hunger strike Hammemi ended his hunger strike after 43 days. His health had deteriorated sharply; vital organs were at risk of failure, and he faced imminent risk of coma or death.
§ 03Charges filed by the state4 on record
- 01Conspiracy against state security
- 02Attempting to change the form of government
- 03Offences under Article 72 of the Penal Code and the 2015 anti-terrorism law
- 04Violations of information and communication systems under Decree-Law 54
§ 04Sentence
§ 05Documented violations9 categories
§ 06Editorial provenanceHuMENA Editorial Board
This case file was compiled by HuMENA's Tunisia research team from primary documentation, public filings, family-supplied legal documents, and confidential partner reporting. Editorial responsibility rests with the HuMENA Editorial Board. Where dates or facts are uncertain, the record errs on the side of the source material and notes uncertainty in the live archive at humena.org.
- Generated
- Saturday, 6 June 2026
- Source dataset retrieved
- 2026-05-11
- Live record (canonical)
- https://dev.humena.org/defenders/ayachi-hammemi/
- Editorial sign-off
- HuMENA Editorial Board
§ 07Take-downs · corrections · partner submissions
HuMENA welcomes corrections, additions, and take-down requests from the defender, their family, or accredited representatives. Material discrepancies are typically addressed within 72 hours.
Editorial · editorial@humena.org
Take-downs & corrections · takedowns@humena.org
Partner submissions (confidential) · partners@humena.org