Tunisia court sentences Sonia Dhamani, a lawyer critical of the president, to 2 years

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TUNIS (Reuters) -A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced Sonia Dhamani, a prominent lawyer and critical voice of President Kais Saied, to two years, lawyers said, in a case rights groups say marks a deeping crackdown on dissent in the North African country.

Dhamani’s lawyers withdrew from the trial after the judge refused to adjourn the session, claiming Dhamani was being tried twice for the same act.

The court sentenced Dhamani for statements criticizing practices against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

Lawyer Bassem Trifi said that the court sentenced Dhamni two years calling the verdict “a grave injustice”.

“What’s happening is a farce. Sonia is being tried twice for the same statement.”, lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi, another lawyer for Dhamani, told Reuters.

Dhamani was arrested last year after making comments during a television appearance that questioned the government’s stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia.

The case was brought under Tunisia’s controversial cybercrime law, Decree 54, which has been widely condemned by international and local rights groups.

Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since Saied seized control of most powers, dissolved the elected parliament, and began ruling by decree in 2021, moves the opposition has described as a coup.

Saied rejects the charges and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption.

Human rights groups and activists say Saied has turned Tunisia into an open-air prison and is using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents.

Saied rejects these accusations, saying he will not be a dictator and seeks to hold everyone accountable equally, regardless of their position or name.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama)