Hundreds of protesters converged on the Tunisian capital on Sunday, demanding the immediate release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition figures, as well as a definitive date for fair and transparent presidential elections. This demonstration comes at a time when Tunisia is grappling with a profound economic and political crisis, marked by a wave of arrests targeting journalists, lawyers, activists, and political opponents.
The protest was sparked by the recent arrest of Sonia Dahmani, a prominent lawyer and vocal critic of President Kais Saied, who was taken into custody by Tunisian police on Saturday when they stormed the Deanship of Lawyers building. Two journalists were also arrested on the same day, further fueling the growing sense of unease and repression.
Despite assurances from the Election Commission that the presidential elections would be held as scheduled, no date has been announced, leaving many to wonder if the vote will be delayed or manipulated. President Saied, who came to power through free elections in 2019, has been accused of consolidating power and undermining democratic institutions. In 2021, he shut down the elected parliament and began ruling by decree, assuming authority over the judiciary and sparking accusations of a coup.
The opposition has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s restrictions on press and political freedoms, which they claim have created an environment unsuitable for holding credible elections. They have called for an end to these restrictions and the release of imprisoned opponents and activists, including Abir Moussa, a prominent candidate who has been detained for months.
Mondher Zanaidi, another potential candidate, has announced his intention to run from France, fearing arrest if he returns to Tunisia. President Saied has responded by accusing unnamed candidates of being traitors and seeking protection abroad.
Imed Khemiri, a senior official in the Ennahda party and member of the Salvation Front, which organized the protest, condemned the authorities’ actions, saying, “Today, there is no climate for fair elections, and there is no date… the authorities are repressing politicians, lawyers, and journalists.” He also denounced the storming of the lawyers’ headquarters as a “dangerous precedent that perpetuates the authoritarian regime.”
