Following a significant sentence reduction on appeal, Ahmed Souab , a prominent figure in the Tunisian legal profession, is preparing to regain his freedom. Initially sentenced to five years in prison, his sentence was reduced to ten months , a period he has already fully served in detention.

An expedited legal procedure

The former administrative court judge, aged 69, had received a swift conviction in October 2025.

1. Initial verdict: 5 years imprisonment.
2. Trial: Dispatched in less than ten minutes.
3. Reasons: A dozen charges, based in particular on the anti-terrorism law and the controversial decree 54 relating to "false information".

The reasons for his arrest

Ahmed Souab was arrested on April 21, 2025. The reason: his vehement criticism during a rally in front of the Tunis courthouse. A defense lawyer in the so-called "plot against state security" case, he had denounced the pressure exerted on the judiciary, mimicking a throat-slitting gesture to illustrate, according to him, the threat hanging over the magistrates in charge of the case.

Fragile health is at the heart of the concerns

This release comes amid concerns about the former magistrate's health.

According to his son, Saeb Souab, his condition had seriously deteriorated in recent days, with the former judge exhibiting alarming symptoms (spitting up blood).

Despite this situation, a request for provisional release on medical grounds had been rejected by the court ten days earlier. His release from prison, confirmed by his lawyers Hend Turki and Sami Ben Ghazi, brings to an end a detention that lasted nearly a year.