Brussels, November 26, 2025 – Protect Humanitarians warmly welcomes the release of humanitarian workers Mustapha Djemali and Abderrazek Krimi, who late on Monday, 24 November, were finally able to reunite with their family after 18 months of unjust and arbitrary detention by the Tunisian authorities.

At 81 years old, Mustapha Djemali – a widely respected humanitarian and Director General of the Tunisian Refugee Council (TRC) — can once again be with those he loves. We are equally relieved to learn that Abderrazek Krimi, Project Manager at the TRC, has also been released. Three other TRC staff members were acquitted.

Despite the happiness and relief surrounding their release, it is an outrage that they have been detained and convicted for carrying out humanitarian work. The Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Mr. Djemali and Mr. Krimi to two years in prison for ‘facilitating the entry of illegal migrants’. The TRC was working in partnership with UNHCR in Tunisia to provide essential assistance for asylum seekers and refugees and were in no way involved in illegal migration. They were released since the Court took into consideration the months spent in pretrial detention and suspended the remainder of their sentence.

The arbitrary detention and conviction of Mr. Djemali, Mr. Krimi, and other humanitarian workers exemplifies a broader pattern of the criminalization of humanitarian action and rights of refugees and migrants in Tunisia. The Tunisian authorities increasingly impede legitimate humanitarian and human rights work through arbitrary arrests, detention, asset freezes, bank restrictions and court-ordered suspensions. This is unacceptable. Tunisia must reverse this harmful trend and respect humanitarian and human rights work.

Protect Humanitarians, together with Legal Action Worldwide and Amnesty International Belgium, has supported Mustapha’s family throughout their efforts to secure his release. Today, we stand in full solidarity with him and with them.

“While we are immensely relieved by Mustapha Djemali’s release, we strongly deplore and condemn the fact that both he and Abderrazek Krimi were detained and sentenced for their humanitarian work — a deeply troubling confirmation of the growing criminalization of aid and civil society in Tunisia.” – Olivier Vandecasteele, Founder and Director, Protect Humanitarians.

Humanitarian workers must be protected and supported — always and everywhere.