Thirty opposition figures considered critical of President Kais Saied have been arrested in recent months, according to Human Rights Watch.
Tunisia is accused of using the “judicial power as a tool of repression”, as its crackdown on the opposition draws harsh criticism from human rights organisations.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the arrests of Ennahdha members on Thursday and warned that the government “is acting to neutralize the country’s largest political party.”
Seventeen current or former members of Ennahdha have been arrested since December, bringing the total number of arrests of opposition figures considered critical of President Kais Saied to 30, HRW said.
Saied, who was backed by Ennahdha when he became president in 2019, dissolved the democratically elected parliament in July 2021 and has since seized more powers, changing the country’s constitution in the process. His opponents condemn his moves as a “coup”.
Families of political detainees have campaigned on their behalf and recently called on the European Union to sanction several government officials.
Amnesty International has also condemned the growing crackdown in Tunisia this week, adding that four people have been added to at least 17 dissidents being investigated “on baseless allegations of ‘conspiracy'”. Twelve people have been arrested in the investigation, according to Amnesty.
The targets are members of opposition parties, political activists and lawyers, Amnesty said.
“The Tunisian authorities have already damaged the right to freedom of expression and the rule of law enough with the arbitrary detention of dissidents on unfounded charges,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Middle East Director and North Africa, in a statement this Tuesday. .
“They should urgently close this investigation, immediately release all those who have been detained in connection with it and end their instrumentalization of the judiciary as a tool of repression,” he said.
As Saeid’s authoritarian shift deepens, here is a list of some prominent opposition figures targeted in recent months and the charges they face:
Rached Ghannouchi
Head of the Ennahdha party Arrested on April 17 for “incitement to speech”, authorities said, ostensibly in a video in which he made comments warning of the potential for civil war if Tunisia’s various political currents, including the ‘political Islam and the leftists, were excluded from Tunisia. political fabric Accused of conspiracy against state security Held in prison on remand He has been questioned in connection with 19 investigations in the past 18 months, according to HRW
Ali Larayedh
Ennahdha’s vice president and former prime minister faces prosecution for failing to adequately combat hardline groups and violence when he held office from 2011 to 2014, according to HRW. Held since December without being brought before a judge
Nourredine Bill
A deputy head of the Ennahdha party and former justice minister Arrested on February 13 for trying to “change the nature of the state”, his lawyer Amine Bouker told HRW. the anniversary of the day former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown. His lawyers said he did not write the post, according to HRW.
Ferjani said
An Ennahdha leader who was in parliament before he was dismissed by Saied was detained on February 27 in an investigation by digital content producer Instalingo, according to HRW. State prosecutors have accused Instalingo of inciting violence and defaming Saied, HRW said. His family and lawyer have told HRW that he is not affiliated with the company.
Mohamed Mzoughi
Ennahdha’s PR chief Arrested on March 9 on charges including conspiracy against state security and “terrorism”-related charges for an alleged role in running social media pages critical of the government of Said, according to HRW
Mohamed Saleh Bouallagui
Ennahdha’s general secretary Arrested on March 10 on charges including conspiracy against state security and “terrorism”-related charges for an alleged role in running social media pages critical of Saied’s government, the same charges as Mzoughi, according to HRW
Mohammed Ben Salem
A former leader of Ennahdha and former Minister of Agriculture Arrested on March 3 and accused of “forming an organization with the aim of preparing and committing the crime of illegally leaving Tunisian territory” and of “having sums of money in foreign currency,” according to HRW Has lost his ability to walk and has had two strokes since his arrest, his family and lawyer told HRW
Ayachi Hammami
A lawyer who has represented opposition leaders investigated in the case against 17 people for conspiracy, according to Amnesty, is now among the defendants in that case. He is also being investigated under a cybercrime law for publicly criticizing the authorities, according to Amnesty.
Bochra Belhaj Hamida
Feminist lawyer and co-founder and former president of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women Former politician of the Assembly of People’s Representatives, Tunisia’s legislative branch Among the 17 accused in the criminal conspiracy investigation
Nejib Chebbi
The leader of Tunisia’s National Salvation Front, an opposition alliance co-founded by Ennahdha Has organized regular protests against Saied for months Among the 17 accused in the criminal conspiracy probe He has also been investigated since January along with other activists accused of ‘assaulting public security officers and insulting the president
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