Tunisia Faces Mounting Criticism as Rights Groups Condemn Crackdown on Dissent
Tunisia, once hailed as a success story of the Arab Spring, is now facing severe criticism from international rights organizations over a sustained crackdown on political opposition, media, and civil society. The shift began dramatically in July 2021 when President Kais Saied dissolved parliament and assumed expanded executive powers, allowing him to rule by decree.
Since then, numerous critics of Saied have been arrested and prosecuted. A new constitution enshrining these expanded powers was ratified in 2022 following a referendum widely considered boycotted. A controversial “fake news” law, enacted the same year, has further restricted freedom of expression, leading to the prosecution and detention of journalists and lawyers.
Recent months have seen increased pressure on organizations. Amnesty International reports that at least 14 Tunisian and international ngos have had their activities temporarily suspended, including the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and the World Organisation against Torture.
A notably concerning case involves over 30 individuals sentenced to lengthy prison terms in a mass trial in April, labelled a “politically motivated ‘Conspiracy case'” by Human Rights Watch. the defendants, including opposition figures, lawyers, activists, and researchers, were charged with plotting to destabilize the country and terrorism offenses, despite Human Rights Watch finding the charges unfounded and lacking credible evidence. Prison sentences range from four to 66 years.
Four of those detained are currently on hunger strike, with reports from lawyers indicating one experienced physical violence in prison on November 11th. Jawhar Ben Mbarek, cofounder of the National Salvation front, began a hunger strike on October 29th to protest his arbitrary detention and subsequent 18-year sentence for “conspiracy against state security” and alleged membership in a terrorist group.
In solidarity, leaders from Tunisia’s major opposition parties have also initiated hunger strikes. These include Issam Chebbi, leader of the Republican Party, also convicted in the April trial, and Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of the Ennahdha party. Ghannouchi is already serving a substantial prison sentence, including over 20 years for money laundering – charges he denies - and a conviction for “conspiring against state security.”
Human Rights Watch has called for the immediate overturning of the convictions and the release of all those unjustly detained, characterizing the entire legal process as a ”masquerade.” The association urges Tunisia’s international partners to condemn the crackdown and advocate for fair trials and respect for the rule of law.