Arrests of opponents of President Kaïs Saïed continue in Tunisia
Tunisian police arrested on Wednesday Issam Chebbi, leader of the Republican Party, Chaima Issa, an activist who took part in the 2011 revolution, and surrounded the home of Jawher Ben Mbarek, a detractor of President Kaïs Saïed. These three opponents are close to the National Salvation Front, a coalition that the head of state has accused of being "paid" and made up of criminals.
In Tunisia, police arrested two prominent opposition figures on Wednesday February 22 and surrounded the home of a third president's detractor Kaïs Saïed, who describes his opponents as criminals and traitors who want to harm state security.
These arrests are part of a crackdown on key opponents of Kaïs Saïed in the past two weeks, with the detention of politicians, judges and media figures, in particular.
Issam Chebbi, leader of the Republican Party, was arrested while in the company of his wife near a shopping center, said his lawyers and his family. His home was later searched by the police.
Chaima Issa, an activist who took part in the 2011 revolution, was arrested while in his vehicle, surrounded by police, said her lawyer.
The police also surrounded the home of Jawher Ben Mbarek during the day in order to make his arrest, but he was not on the scene, indicated his sister and her lawyers.
Opposition Coalition
Issam Chebbi is the brother of Nejib Chebbi, who heads the National Salvation Front - a coalition of opposition groups that organized demonstrations against Kaïs Saïed. Jawher Ben Mbarek and Chaima Issa are figures of this coalition.
Speaking in a video posted on the internet on Wednesday, Kaïs Saïed described the National Salvation Front as a "paid" organization made up of criminals whose "Tunisia wants to get rid of".
Police and the Interior Ministry declined requests for comments on the arrests on Wednesday. According to lawyers, some of those arrested recently are accused of conspiring against state security.
The detained boss of the private Tunisian radio Mosaic FM is for his part prosecuted for "money laundering and illegal enrichment", indicated on Wednesday his lawyers, denouncing a "political" file" in retaliation for a critical program.
Noureddine Boutar, directeur de la radio la plus écoutée en Tunisie, avait été arrêté ainsi que neuf personnalités politiques lors d'un coup de filet lancé par les autorités début février. Un mandat de dépôt a été émis lundi soir contre lui, selon ses avocats, qui avaient affirmé après son arrestation que son interrogatoire avait abordé la ligne éditoriale de la station.
Kaïs Saïd a déclaré publiquement que des arrestations ont ciblé des personnes considérées comme responsables d'une pénurie de biens alimentaires et de carburant. Des économistes estiment que la situation découle de la crise des finances publiques.
Répression coordonnée
Depuis qu'il a dissout le Parlement à l'été 2021 et s'est s'octroyé la quasi-totalité des pouvoirs, le président tunisien gouverne par décret et a lancé la rédaction d'une nouvelle Constitution après un référendum au fort taux d'abstention l'an dernier. Ses opposants ont dénoncé un coup d'État.
Kaïs Saïed décrit ses mesures comme légales et nécessaires pour sortir le pays du chaos, reprochant à ses détracteurs d'être des traîtres et des ennemis de l'État.
Si certains politiciens de premier plan ont été présentés devant la justice depuis que Kaïs Saïed exerce une mainmise sur le pouvoir, jamais une répression coordonnée de l'opposition n'avait été mise en œuvre avant ce mois-ci.
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