Hundreds of Tunisians took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against President Kais Saied’s rule, which they describe as authoritarian, while six detained opposition figures began a hunger strike in prison.
The protests reflect growing opposition concerns about Saied’s increasing control over the country and his efforts to consolidate power, which his critics see as a move toward one-man rule. These accusations are firmly denied by Saied.
In 2021, Saied seized additional powers by dissolving the elected parliament, ruling by decree, and eventually taking control of the judiciary. His actions were widely criticized by the opposition, who viewed them as a coup.
Protesters from the opposition Free Constitutional Party gathered in Tunis to demand the release of their leader, Abir Moussi, who is currently imprisoned. They chanted slogans such as “Saied, dictator, your turn has come” and “Free Abir.” One protester, Hayat Ayari, criticized the lack of freedom for the opposition and the media, saying, “Any word can send you to prison.”
Meanwhile, another rally organized by the Salvation Front, another opposition group, also took place in the capital. Their focus was on demanding the release of imprisoned politicians, activists, and journalists.
Six high-profile opposition figures detained on conspiracy charges began a hunger strike to protest their pending trial, according to their lawyers. Abdelhamid Jelassi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, Khiyam Turki, Ridha Belhaj, Issam Chebbi, and Ghazi Chaouachi were arrested in 2023 during a crackdown on opposition groups. They have refused to participate in what they claim is an unfair trial.
Saied labeled the detainees as “traitors and terrorists” in 2023 and criticized judges who acquitted them, calling them accomplices. The detainees deny any wrongdoing, stating that they were working on an initiative to unite Tunisia’s divided opposition.
Most of the country’s key political leaders are now in prison, including Saied’s prominent opponents, Moussi and Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party.
The government maintains that Tunisia remains a democracy, with Saied insisting that he will not become a dictator, but instead seeks to hold accountable a “corrupt elite.”
