Tunisian police raided the offices of a legal association and detained an outspoken figure on Saturday amid ongoing protests against the government.
Officers in plain clothes raided the Lawyers’ House, one of the offices of the country's legal union, in Tunis.
They arrested lawyer and commentator Sonia Dahmani, an activist said, after prosecutors issued a warrant over comments she made on a radio show.
Ms Dahmani had said: “What kind of extraordinary country [Tunisia] are we talking about? The one that half of its youth want to leave?”
We were taken by surprise by the sudden raid of masked individuals who verbally as well as physically assaulted lawyers
Laarousi Zguir,
Tunisian Lawyers' Bar
It is the first time since the establishment of the Lawyers Bar that police forces have raided its offices with force.
The Tunisian Lawyers Bar has said that they would escalate their protests if more of their affiliates continue to face persecution because of their opinions or charges relating to their job.
A video on Facebook showed altercations between a number of lawyers and activists, who were present to support Ms Dahmani, and the police officers who conducted the raid.
A journalist from the channel France 24 was arrested and later released, the activist said. Two Tunisian journalists, Mourad Zghidi and Borhen Bsaies, were also arrested, according to local media outlets.
The lawyers' bar announced a general regional strike in all Tunis courts beginning on Monday after the raid.
“We were taken by surprise around 8.45pm by the sudden raid of a number of masked individuals who broke our offices’ doors and verbally as well as physically assaulted lawyers,” Laarousi Zguir, head of the Tunis division of the Tunisian Lawyers' Bar said at a press conference that day.
One lawyer has reportedly been injured and is receiving treatment.
“Lawyer Sonia Dahmani has been kidnapped and taken into an unknown location,” Mr Zguir said.
He added that judicial authorities are yet to respond to phone calls trying to find where Ms Dahmani has been taken.
Tunisian President Kais Saied issued a decree in September 2022 against spreading false information and rumours online, with prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The decree states that anyone found to have used information networks to “promote [or] publish … false news” to harm public security and national defence could face a five-year prison sentence and a fine of 50,000 Tunisian dinars ($15,600).
Since then, several bloggers, activists, journalists and lawyers have faced charges relating to online or public media statements that criticises Mr Saied and his government.
Some political opponents have been jailed based on the same decree.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
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