In a February 10, 2026 news release, Human Rights Watch says Tunisian authorities are arbitrarily detaining prominent lawyer and human rights defender Ahmed Souab, who was convicted on terrorism-related charges linked to remarks he made outside court while representing defendants in the “conspiracy against state security” case. Souab was sentenced on October 31, 2025 to five years in prison and three years of administrative supervision after a trial that reportedly lasted only minutes, took place without him present, and excluded journalists; his appeal hearing is scheduled for February 12, 2026. HRW calls on authorities to drop what it describes as unfounded charges, release Souab, and end retaliatory prosecutions that target critics and lawyers amid broader attacks on judicial independence under President Kais Saied.