A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced Saadia Mosbah, a prominent migrant rights and anti-racist activist, to ​eight years in prison, in a ruling that highlights ‌what critics described as an escalating crackdown on civil society and independent voices. “The verdict is a major shock, and it is part of ​a broader effort to dismantle civil society groups and ​shift responsibility for the state’s failure to address the ⁠migrant issue onto these groups,” Mosbah’s lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, ​told Reuters. Authorities last year ordered the suspension of the activities against ​prominent civil society groups such as the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women, both known for defending civil ​liberties, citing financial audits related to foreign funding.

Full report : Tunisia jails prominent migrant rights activist Saadia Mosbah to 8 years.