Tunisia Moves to Rewrite a Drug Law That Filled Its Prisons
TUNISIA · DRUG POLICY
Key Facts
- —The law Law 52 of 1992, which made drug use a prison offence in Tunisia with almost no judicial discretion.
- —What changed in 2017 Judges were allowed to consider mitigating circumstances. Use stayed criminal.
- —The pressure now Drug cases rose from about 5,000 in 2020 to more than 15,000 in 2025.
- —Arrests More than 27,000 in 2025, against roughly 10,000 in 2020.
- —What is spreading Cocaine, ecstasy and pregabalin, sold under the brand name Lyrica.
- —The seizure that shocked Tunis Twelve million pregabalin tablets at Radès port in September 2025.
Tunisia jailed young people for smoking cannabis for thirty years. The argument now is not about whether to change that law, but about which direction to change it in.
Two very different plans to replace Tunisia’s 1992 drug law are moving at the same time. One would give police more powers. The other would treat users as patients.
The Law That Defined a Generation
Law 52 of 1992 made consumption of illegal drugs a prison offence. It carried a mandatory minimum and left a judge little room to disagree.
For three decades it filled Tunisian prisons with young men convicted over cannabis. It became shorthand in Tunisian politics for a state that punished rather than governed.
A partial amendment was adopted on 25 April 2017 by 133 votes to 140 cast.
It allowed judges to apply mitigating circumstances and avoid prison in some cases. It did not decriminalise use, and it was billed at the time as provisional.
Nine years later the full revision it anticipated has still not happened.
The Numbers Behind the New Push
The figures come from Mohamed Ali Chaïbi, who heads the anti-narcotics service at the El Gorjani judicial police directorate. He gave them in a television appearance on 10 September.
Drug cases rose from over 5,000 in 2020 to more than 15,000 in 2025. Arrests went from around 10,000 to over 27,000 across the same period.
The 27,000 is an annual figure for 2025 rather than a running total.
The drug mix has changed too. Cocaine and ecstasy are spreading, with ecstasy arriving across the Libyan border along a route from India through Turkey.
The Pill That Changed the Conversation
Pregabalin, sold as Lyrica, is a prescription drug for nerve pain and epilepsy. In North Africa it has become a street drug.
Tunisian seizures went from about 60,000 tablets in 2020 to twelve million at Radès port in September 2025.
That was described as the largest interception in Tunisian history.
A pharmaceutical arriving by the container load is a different problem from cannabis. It is the one driving the police case for new powers.
Two Reforms, Pulling Apart
The version that has reached parliament is not the police version.
Fifteen deputies filed a private members’ bill on 25 February 2025. It went to the Commission of General Legislation, chaired by Faouzi Daas, on 10 April 2025.
That text runs to 17 articles and balances enforcement with a therapeutic approach, moving away from imprisoning users. Special investigation techniques, including wiretapping and undercover work, appear within it.
The interior ministry is arguing for the enforcement half. There is no published government bill.
So Tunisia has a police service advocating tougher tools and a parliamentary committee holding a text that would treat users more gently. Neither has become law.
Why This Matters to Foreign Residents
Tunisia is a transit country. It sits between Libya and the Mediterranean, within reach of European markets.
That geography shapes how its police operate and how seriously possession is treated, including for visitors.
Until a new law passes, the 1992 statute as amended in 2017 remains in force. Consumption is still a criminal offence.
For anyone living in or travelling to Tunisia, the practical position has not changed. What has changed is that both directions of reform are now on the table at once.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tunisia’s Law 52?
A 1992 statute making drug consumption a prison offence with little judicial discretion. It was partially amended in 2017.
How many drug cases does Tunisia have?
More than 15,000 in 2025, up from over 5,000 in 2020, with more than 27,000 arrests in 2025.
What drugs are spreading?
Cocaine, ecstasy and pregabalin, sold as Lyrica. Twelve million pregabalin tablets were seized at Radès in September 2025.
Is there a government bill?
No. A private members’ bill filed in February 2025 sits with a parliamentary committee.
What would that bill do?
It runs to 17 articles, balancing enforcement with a therapeutic approach and including wiretapping and undercover powers.
Has the law changed yet?
No. The 1992 law as amended in 2017 remains in force and consumption is still criminal.
Sources: Tunis Afrique Presse, La Presse de Tunisie, Directinfo, Tunisian Assembly of the Representatives of the People.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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