A Tunisian court has sentenced five individuals to prison terms ranging from three to 15 years for their involvement in the May 2023 attack on the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba, which resulted in five fatalities. The rulings, confirmed by defense lawyer Nizar Ayed on Monday, conclude a high-profile case stemming from one of the most severe assaults on Tunisia’s small Jewish community in recent years.
The heaviest sentence, 15 years, was handed to a defendant who had fled the country following the incident. Another received a seven-year term. The attacker’s fiancée was sentenced to eight years for “complicity in homicide,” while a student was given a three-year sentence. The assailant’s sister received a one-year term. All verdicts are subject to appeal.
The assault began on May 9, 2023, when a Tunisian National Guard officer opened fire at the port of Djerba, killing three of his colleagues. The gunman then proceeded to the historic Ghriba synagogue, a major pilgrimage site, where he shot and killed two worshippers: Tunisian national Aviel Haddad and his French cousin, Benjamin Haddad. Several other security officers were wounded; two of them later died from their injuries, raising the death toll to five.
During proceedings, lawyer Ayed argued that the main attacker operated “as a lone wolf,” suggesting limited external coordination. This narrative was contested by the family of the student defendant, who stated they had merely rented a room to the assailant and were unaware of his plans. “Our generosity backfired on us,” the student’s mother told the court. Defense teams have announced intentions to appeal the convictions.
The attack reverberated through Tunisia’s Jewish community, which has dramatically declined from over 100,000 members in the mid-20th century to approximately 1,500 today, the majority residing on Djerba. The Ghriba synagogue, considered one of the oldest in Africa, is a cornerstone of this community’s religious and cultural life. The incident prompted questions about security for vulnerable minority sites and the presence of lone-actor threats within state security forces.
The sentencing provides a measure of judicial closure, yet it underscores persistent concerns regarding societal cohesion and the protection of religious minorities in Tunisia. The appeals process will extend the legal journey for the involved families, while the Djerba Jewish community continues to grapple with the trauma and its long-term implications for their presence on the island.
