EU Migration Deal Under Fire: 46 human rights and humanitarian groups say the EU-Tunisia MoU signed in July 2023 has “normalized” abuses, urging Brussels to suspend funding for abusive border and sea interceptions, including EUR 105m for Tunisian coast and border control. Judicial Pressure on Dissent: Tunisian journalist Haythem El Mekki, a critic of President Kais Saied, was sentenced to one year in prison under Decree 54 after appeals revived a case over social media posts. Opposition vs. Saied Camp: Tunisia’s Workers’ Party accuses a Saied supporter of posting a video calling for the assassination of party leader Hamma Hammami, alleging authorities failed to act. Libya Election Roadmap: UNSMIL said its 4+4 mini-committee adopted a new mechanism to reach consensus on a candidate to lead the High National Elections Commission, with more talks set for early August. Human Rights Campaign for Ghannouchi: More than 400 former heads of state, scholars and rights leaders signed an appeal demanding the immediate release of Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi, sentenced in June. Responsible AI Watch: Tunisia ranked 110th of 135 in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI, citing weak safeguards and governance gaps. Sea-Watch Smuggling Allegations: Frontex footage reviewed by Le Figaro reignited claims that Sea-Watch cooperated with people-smuggling networks in the central Mediterranean, including alleged coordination during a May 11 rescue near Tripoli.