Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the capital city of Tunis on Sunday to protest against what they perceive as foreign interference in Tunisia’s internal affairs. The rally comes in the wake of widespread criticism and a series of controversial arrests that have drawn international concern.
The demonstrators assembled on Habib Bourguiba Street, Tunis’s main boulevard, carrying pictures of Saied and banners with messages urging Western nations to refrain from meddling in Tunisia’s politics.
Many of Saied’s supporters, who arrived on buses from various parts of the country, chanted slogans such as “The people want Kais Saied”, “We are here to support Saied … We are against foreign intervention and traitors,” and so on.
This demonstration follows a wave of arrests targeting journalists, activists, and lawyers. Earlier this month, police detained 10 individuals, including prominent figures from civil society groups.
The European Union, France, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have all voiced concerns over the arrests and a police raid on the bar association’s headquarters, during which two lawyers critical of the president were detained.
Last week, Tunisian lawyers went on strike, alleging that one of the lawyers arrested in the bar association raid had00 been tortured, a claim the Interior Ministry has denied.
These actions have been described as a crackdown by organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which have called on Tunisia to uphold free speech and civil liberties.
In response to the international backlash, President Saied recently directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon several ambassadors to protest their countries’ alleged interference in Tunisian affairs.
President Saied, who ascended to power following the 2019 elections, dissolved parliament two years later to commence ruling by decree and has consistently accused activists, civil society groups, and his political adversaries of treachery.
By xamse
May 20, 2024
