In Tunisia, President Kais Saied rejects “foreign interference” and defends arrests

Kais Saied replies. The Tunisian president rebelled on Thursday, May 16, against Western criticism after the arrest of lawyers and media figures, defending the legality of these measures which mark a new decline in freedoms in the cradle of the Arab Spring. Earlier this week, the European Union, France and the United States expressed their “worry” And “concern” faced with a wave of arrests of lawyers, radio and television columnists and community activists.

In a vehement tone, the head of state, who has concentrated all powers since July 2021, ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “summon as soon as possible the ambassadors of a certain number of foreign countries” to convey to them “strong protest against blatant and unacceptable interference in our internal affairs”according to a video released by the presidency.

On Thursday, hundreds of lawyers and human rights defenders demonstrated in Tunis in protest and to demand respect for rights and freedoms in the country. “Freedom! The police state is a thing of the past”chanted the black-robed lawyers and activists, in reference to the 2011 revolution that toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, marking the start of the Arab Spring, a series of pro-democracy revolts in several countries in the region .

At a time when the authorities have been waging a campaign against sub-Saharan African migrants since February 2023 and a xenophobic speech by President Saied against illegal migration, the police arrested anti-racist activist Saadia Mosbah on May 6. On May 11, lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani was taken by force by hooded police officers while she had taken refuge in the headquarters of the Bar Association. Two other famous columnists, Borhen Bssais and Mourad Zeghidi, were arrested the same evening and are also being prosecuted for comments, in the media or on social networks, considered critical of the government.