Hundreds of lawyers, activists, and citizens gathered in Tunis on Thursday to protest the arrest of two lawyers during police raids on the national bar association, according to journalists on the scene.
The demonstration took place near the main courthouse, with police preventing journalists from entering the building. Inside, lawyers in black robes chanted slogans such as “Freedom!” and “The police state belongs in the past!”, as seen in live-streamed videos on social media.
The bar association, which organized the protest, also announced a nationwide strike following the arrests of Sonia Dahmani and Mehdi Zagrouba during police raids on Saturday and Monday.
Reports from lawyers indicate that Zagrouba fainted and was beaten while in custody, necessitating his transfer to a hospital.
Hatem Meziou, president of the bar, condemned the raids as unlawful and called for an end to the “abuse of power” and “violence” against lawyers. He urged President Kais Saied to intervene.
In response, President Saied emphasized on Thursday that the bar association is under Tunisian jurisdiction and not an independent entity. He asserted that the arrests were conducted “in full respect for Tunisian law,” which ensures equality and the right to a fair trial, according to a video posted by the presidency on social media.
Saied, who assumed extensive powers following a controversial move in 2021, reiterated that “no one is above the law.”
The European Union, France, and the United States have expressed concerns over the arrests. In reaction to the international criticism, Saied denounced it as foreign “interference” and instructed the foreign ministry to summon the ambassadors of several countries, though he did not specify which ones.
