Lawyer Sonia Dahmani sentenced to one year in prison for comments about sub-Saharan Africans

Tunis: The Tunis Court of First Instance on Friday sentenced lawyer Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison for comments she made about sub-Saharan Africans on private television channel Carthage+, her lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi told TAP on Saturday.The verdict was issued under Decree No. 54 on combating crimes related to information and communication systems, he added, noting that his client is also under legal scrutiny in four other cases based on the same decree.The second and third cases against Dahmani also relate to media statements she made on the private radio stations "IFM" and "Carthage +", in which she discussed racism in Tunisia.The fourth case relates to her criticism of the performance of certain ministers, while the fifth concerns her comments on prison conditions.During Friday's session, the defence team requested that the charges be dropped for lack of a crime, Ben Ghazi said.Spokesperson for the Tunis Court of First Instance, Mohamed Zitouna, told TAP on June 11 that the investigating judge had issued an arrest warrant against lawyer Sonia Dahmani following her televised remarks accusing the Tunisian people of racial discrimination.According to Zitouna, these remarks were considered "spreading rumours, inciting violence and promoting hate speech among the public".Sonia Dahmani was arrested on May 11 at the Lawyers' House.Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse