The French judiciary has rejected the extradition request targeting Halima Ben Ali, the youngest daughter of former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. The decision was issued on Wednesday by the Paris Court of Appeal, which has jurisdiction over extradition matters.
Arrested in the autumn of 2025 at a Paris airport, Halima Ben Ali was wanted by Tunisian authorities for acts mainly related to financial offenses. During the hearings, her lawyer, Me Samia Maktouf, strongly contested the request, arguing that a return to Tunisia would expose her client to serious risks, going as far as to mention a “death sentence.”
This decision comes in a sensitive political context. The country is led by President Kaïs Saïed, whose rule has been sharply criticized by certain organizations and opponents. They denounce what they describe as an authoritarian drift and violations of fundamental freedoms, particularly in terms of justice and human rights.
It was in this climate that the French court examined the extradition request, taking into account judicial guarantees and detention conditions in the requesting country.