Focus on Africa Tunisian activist jailed for eight years
Mar 23, 2026
Temidayo Onio-Shun, head of Space in Africa, explains how coordination and data sovereignty could reshape the continent's space future. Shriya Parikh, researcher on constructions of Blackness in Tunisia, unpacks Saadia Mosbah's activism and the online smear campaigns and legal pressures she faced. They discuss political repression, anti-Black racism in Tunisia, and Africa’s space economics and reliance on foreign technology.
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Saadia Mosbah's Grassroots Anti-Racism Work
- Saadia Mosbah built NEMTI to fight anti-Black racism in Tunisia and trained migrants on rights and economic skills.
- Shriya Parikh described her role in passing Tunisia's 2018 anti-racism law and running workshops on filing discrimination complaints and small-business training.
Personal History That Sparked Lifelong Activism
- Saadia faced long-term racial discrimination, worked as a Tunis Air air hostess and later founded NEMTI to support Black Tunisians and migrants.
- Shriya Parikh recounts colleagues refusing to fly with her and Saadia's family history of public anti-racism advocacy.
Civil Society Outrage Over Mosbah's Sentence
- Saadia's eight-year sentence and nearly two years already in prison sparked anger among Tunisian civil society and worries about deteriorating health.
- Elysia Volkman highlighted poor prison conditions and calls from rights groups for immediate release.