Human rights defenders and lawyers Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi summoned to appear before examining magistrate

On 12 October 2022, human rights defenders and lawyers Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi are due to appear before an examining magistrate. On 30 April 2020, following a complaint filed against them by a judge, the human rights defenders have been accused of “insulting a public official from the justice system” according to articles 125 and 126 of the Tunisian Penal Code.

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Hayet Jazzar is a Tunisian woman human rights defender and human rights lawyer. She is a member of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), and a member of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD). As a lawyer, Hayet Jazzar has defended multiple human rights defenders and human rights organisations. She also defends women survivors along with other lawyers as part of the Counselling Centre for Women Victims of Violence of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD).

Ayoub Ghedamsi is a Tunisian human rights defender and human rights lawyer. He is a member of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH). As a lawyer, Ayoub Ghedamsi has defended multiple human rights defenders and human rights organisations. He mainly works on cases related to police violence and torture.

On Wednesday 12 October 2022, woman human rights defender Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi will attend a hearing on charges of “insulting a public official from the justice system” according to articles 125 and 126 of the Penal Code before the Court of First Instance in Tunis. On 22 September 2022, the two human rights defenders and human rights lawyers were summoned to appear before an examining magistrate of the relevant court.

The charge against Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi is based on a complaint filed by a Carthage District judge on 30 April 2020 against the two lawyers regarding their request to defer a case to another court due to lack of impartiality, violation of due procedure and concealment of the violations of their clients’ rights. In the said case, Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi were appointed by the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights to defend a 67-year-old man and his son in a case concerning their ill-treatment, kidnapping and torture.

Front Line Defenders is concerned about the prosecution of Hayet Jazzar and Ayoub Ghedamsi as it is part of a number of other cases of harassment by Tunisian authorities against human rights defenders. Front Line Defenders calls on Tunisian authorities to drop any charges against them, as it believes that these acts are solely attempts to deter the human rights defenders’ peaceful work as a human rights lawyers. It believes that the two human rights defenders should be able to practice their work as human rights lawyers without fear or reprisals.