Sherifa Riahi, the former director of the French non-governmental organization Terre d’Asile, has been released from prison in Tunisia after more than 20 months in detention. Riahi, along with two colleagues, was freed on Tuesday following a Tunisian court’s decision to hand down suspended sentences on charges related to facilitating the illegal entry and residence of migrants.
During her detention, Riahi expressed relief upon her release, describing the emotional toll of her time in prison. She noted that the hardest aspect of her experience was not the prison conditions, but rather the isolation and separation from her family. The lack of news from the outside world and the fear of not being reunited with her loved ones made her experience particularly challenging.
Riahi’s organization, Terre d’Asile, has been working in Tunisia since 2012, providing assistance to asylum seekers and migrants in vulnerable situations. The organization has cooperated closely with government institutions, including signed agreements and official commendations. Riahi maintains that she and her colleagues were operating lawfully under a state-approved program at the time of their arrest in May 2024.
Migration remains a highly sensitive issue in Tunisia, with the country serving as a key transit point for tens of thousands of people attempting to reach Europe each year. The Tunisian government, led by President Kais Saied, has taken a hard line on the issue, with the president previously warning of the demographic threat posed by “hordes of illegal migrants” from sub-Saharan Africa.
The release of Riahi and her colleagues comes as migration continues to be a significant challenge for Tunisia. The country’s approach to managing migration has been the subject of international scrutiny, with concerns raised about the treatment of migrants and the criminalization of humanitarian work. Riahi’s case has highlighted the complexities and challenges surrounding migration in Tunisia, and her release is seen as an important development in the ongoing debate about the country’s approach to this issue.
