The case against Ghofrane Binous dates back to 13 May 2024, when the human rights activist received a phone call from the authorities summoning her in her capacity as a former project coordinator at the Mnemty Association, which was at the time subject to judicial proceedings following the arrest of its president, Saadia Mosbah.

She was requested to appear before the Central Unit for Combating Complex Financial Crimes of the National Guard in El Aouina on 14 May 2024, as part of an investigation involving allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering.

On 16 May 2024, Ghufran Binnous appeared before the Public Prosecutor at the Tunis 1 Court of First Instance and subsequently before the investigating judge, who questioned her for more than 11 consecutive hours. According to the victim’s testimony, the conditions of the interrogation did not meet recognized legal standards, as she was subjected to negative psychological treatment aimed at influencing her and obtaining confessions. Her health condition was also not taken into consideration, despite her informing the officers and her lawyers having raised the matter.

The questioning focused on the nature of the association’s activities and the beneficiaries of its services, before she was released and allowed to remain at liberty.

Meanwhile, she was subjected to a widespread defamation campaign on social media, which forced her to leave Tunisia.

On 19 March 2026, a first-instance judgment was issued sentencing her to two years in prison and a fine of 20,000 Tunisian dinars for money laundering, and one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 Tunisian dinars for illicit enrichment. The judgment was considered a conviction in her presence despite the fact that she was not in Tunisia.

On 23 June 2026, the Tunis Court of Appeal upheld the first-instance judgment against Ghofrane Binous while changing the classification of the judgment from a judgment in her presence to a default judgment.