Tunisian Opposition Leader Olfa Hamdi Sentenced to Four Years in Prison Over Social Media Posts

A Tunisian military court has sentenced opposition leader Olfa Hamdi to four years in prison. She was convicted of plotting against state security and inciting the military to disobey orders, her lawyer said on Wednesday.

Hamdi's lawyer, Akram Moussa, said the charges against his client stemmed from posts on social media. Hamdi, a dual Tunisian and United States national, has repeatedly criticised President Kais Saied's rule and has called for a transitional government and early presidential elections.

Critics say the case is the latest example of an ongoing crackdown on opponents of Saied, under whose rule opposition leaders, activists and journalists have repeatedly been imprisoned.

Hamdi, the leader of the Third Republic Party, sought to run for president in Tunisia's 2024 elections, when she was 36. Her candidacy was rejected because she did not meet the minimum age of 40 required of candidates.

She was detained in February at Tunisia's main airport after disembarking from a flight. She had been living abroad, running a consulting firm in the United States, and had briefly served as the head of Tunisia's national airline, Tunisair.

According to her lawyer, the four-year sentence is made up of two separate two-year prison terms from two additional convictions, together with fines of 80,000 dinars, about $26,000.

It is not Hamdi's first sentence. In March she was sentenced in a separate case to two years in prison. Global human rights organisations have widely criticised the cases brought against her.

The United States is watching the case. A State Department spokesperson told the AFP news agency that Washington was closely tracking the situation, adding that the administration of President Donald Trump has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens.

Rights groups have accused Saied of rolling back freedoms since a 2021 power grab. On Saturday, thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against Saied in years, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy.

Saied, for his part, rejects accusations that he is targeting political opponents and critics, saying the law applies to everyone regardless of their position.

Attention will now turn to the international reaction to the verdict and to any appeal Hamdi may pursue. Observers say the case has intensified the debate over freedom of expression and the role of the courts in Tunisia.