Hichem Ben Khaled is a Tunisian judge, former magistrate and outspoken critic of President Kais Saied’s interference in the judiciary who has faced repeated judicial harassment, dismissal and detention in connection with his public positions defending judicial independence and freedom of expression. He was among the 57 judges dismissed by presidential decree on 01 June 2022 during the sweeping purge of the Tunisian judiciary that followed President Kais Saied’s consolidation of power. Although the Administrative Court later suspended the implementation of the dismissal order, the authorities refused to reinstate many of the affected magistrates, including Hichem Ben Khaled. Following his dismissal, he remained publicly active through media interventions and social media commentary criticising the erosion of judicial independence, arbitrary prosecutions and executive control over the courts. On 05 February 2026, plainclothes security officers arrested Ben Khaled and transferred him to the specialised electronic crimes brigade in Laouina before placing him in pretrial detention. According to his lawyers, the prosecution concerned three separate investigations linked to Facebook publications critical of the authorities. During questioning, Ben Khaled reportedly refused to answer investigators questions, invoking judicial immunity on the basis of the Administrative Court ruling suspending his dismissal. His lawyers also requested a medical examination following reports that he had suffered physical violence during the arrest, including injuries to his neck and left hand. Tunisian judicial associations and human rights organisations condemned the arrest as arbitrary and politically motivated. The Association of Tunisian Magistrates described the proceedings as a serious violation of constitutional guarantees protecting judges, while the Committee for Justice stressed that the arrest appeared to be retaliation for opinions publicly expressed by Hichem Ben Khaled concerning the judiciary and governance in Tunisia. Prosecutors later issued multiple detention warrants against him under provisions criminalising alleged offences committed through communication networks and social media publications. On 02 March 2026, Tunisian courts sentenced Hichem Ben Khaled to two years in prison in one of the cases brought against him. Hichem Ben Khaled’s case became emblematic of the repression directed against dissenting judges who publicly opposed executive interference in the justice system and defended constitutional safeguards after the dismantling of Tunisia’s independent judicial institutions.