The CCJE adopted, on 27 May 2026, a Statement sharing the concerns regarding the sentencing of Judge Anas Hmedi, President of the Tunisian Judges Association, expressed by several international institutions, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

The CCJE underlines its relevant standards in this Statement, in particular the independence of judges as one of the fundamental requirements of fair process under the European Convention on Human Rights, and refers to the way the proceedings against Judge Hmedi were allegedly conducted, including procedural violations, disregard for judicial guarantees and the principle of judicial independence.

The CCJE also points out that these developments could seriously undermine the independence of the judiciary in Tunisia and hence the very foundations of the rule of law, which the Council of Europe champions in Europe and in its relations with its partners, such as Tunisia.

Link to the Statement