Hundreds of Tunisians rallied in the capital, Tunis, on Friday, voicing their opposition to increasing repression as the country prepares for presidential elections, where incumbent Kais Saied appears poised for victory. Following Saied’s sweeping power grab, many of his critics, including a candidate for Sunday’s elections, have been detained.
Protesters marched along the heavily policed Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the capital’s main thoroughfare, holding signs denouncing Saied as a “Pharaoh manipulating the law.”
Tunisia has long been celebrated as the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings, which began with the ousting of long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. After a landslide victory in 2019, Saied, now 66, executed a power grab in 2021, dissolving parliament and rewriting the constitution.
This led to a crackdown on dissent, with many critics across the political spectrum now imprisoned. According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, over 170 individuals are currently detained in Tunisia on political grounds or for exercising their fundamental rights.
On Sunday, Saied is set to face former lawmaker Zouhair Maghzaoui, who supports his power grab, and Ayachi Zammel, a lesser-known businessman currently jailed since his candidacy was approved by the election board, ISIE, last month. Zammel faces over 14 years in prison on charges including forgery of election endorsement signatures.
ISIE has also barred 14 candidates from participating in the elections, citing insufficient endorsements and other technicalities.