Tunisian authorities have arrested prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a well-known critic of President Kais Saied, on Monday, sparking concern among human rights organisations about an escalating suppression of dissenting voices. According to fellow lawyers, Souab’s arrest appears to be linked to his vocal condemnation of recent court rulings against opposition leaders.
Souab, who is currently defending several high-profile opposition figures recently handed lengthy prison terms on conspiracy charges, delivered scathing remarks about the trials last week. On Friday, he labelled the proceedings a “farce” and claimed that Tunisia’s judicial system had been “completely destroyed.”
“It seems he was detained because of his critical comments on the trial,” said Samir Dilou, a member of Souab’s legal team. Two other lawyers also confirmed that Souab had been taken into custody.
Opposition factions have denounced the convictions as politically driven, accusing the Saied administration of weaponising the judiciary to entrench his increasingly authoritarian rule. Since President Saied dissolved parliament in 2021 and began governing by decree, he has exerted growing control over the country’s legal institutions. In 2022, he dismantled the independent Supreme Judicial Council and removed dozens of judges from their posts.
Amnesty International issued a statement describing the mass convictions as a “disturbing indication of the authorities’ willingness to press ahead with its crackdown on peaceful dissent.”
The convicted individuals include several senior members of Ennahda, the largest opposition party in Tunisia. Among them, Vice President Noureddine Bhiri received a 43-year prison sentence, while fellow party leaders Said Ferjani and Sahbi Atig were each sentenced to 13 years behind bars.
