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. She and two colleagues were freed on Tuesday following a Tunisian court’s decision to hand down suspended sentences on charges of facilitating the illegal entry and residence of migrants.
During her detention, Riahi expressed relief at her release, describing the emotional toll of her time in prison. She said the hardest aspect was not the prison conditions but the isolation and separation from her family. The lack of news from the outside world and the fear of never being reunited with her loved ones made the experience particularly challenging.
Terre d’Asile has been operating in Tunisia since 2012, providing assistance to asylum seekers and migrants in vulnerable situations. The organization has cooperated closely with government institutions, signing agreements and receiving official commendations. Riahi maintains that she and her colleagues were acting lawfully under a state‑approved program when they were arrested in May 2024.
Migration remains a highly sensitive issue in Tunisia, which serves as a key transit point for tens of thousands of people attempting to reach Europe each year. The government, led by President Kais Saied, has taken a hard line on the matter, with the president previously warning of a 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 attracted international scrutiny, raising concerns about the treatment of migrants and the criminalization of humanitarian work. Riahi’s case highlights the complexities and challenges surrounding migration in Tunisia, and her release is seen as an important development in the ongoing debate over the country’s migration policies.
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