Two opponents of Tunisia’s Saied freed

TUNIS (AFP): Two leading opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied have been freed after spending more than five months in jail, but expressed concern about fellow activists still behind bars.

Writer Chaima Issa, a member of the main opposition coalition the National Salvation Front, was arrested in February along with former minister Lazhar Akremi, a lawyer.

Both were among some 20 opposition, media and business figures arrested in February on charges of “conspiracy against state security”.

They were released late Thursday night to cheers from relatives and supporters, AFP journalists said.

Issa wore a red T-shirt stamped “Free”, and expressed happiness at her release.

“But it’s not complete happiness” because “the injustice I suffered is still being suffered by my friends who remain” imprisoned, she told journalists.

A small group of people greeted the pair after their release, with applause and sounding horns.

“We went in and we came out,” Akremi said of their stay in prison.

“We don’t know why we went in or why we left. That’s it! Quite simply.”

Rights groups have condemned a “witch hunt” aimed at “repressing” freedom of opinion in the North African country since President Saied froze parliament and sacked the government in a dramatic July 2021 move.

His critics have dubbed the power grab a “coup” against the sole democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings a decade previously.

The defence team for Issa and Akremi said in a statement that the investigating judge decided to “release Chaima Issa and also responded to the defence committee’s request for the release of Lazhar Akremi”.

The appeals court judge rejected the team’s request to free other political opponents.

On May 24, Nouredine Boutar, the head of Tunisia’s most popular independent radio station Mosaique FM, was freed as part of the same investigation.

But he is still charged with plotting conspiracy against state security and money laundering.

Earlier Thursday, around 100 protesters rallied in Tunis to demand freedom for the 20 detained critics of Saied, who has ruled largely by decree for the past two years.

Writer Chaima Issa, a member of the main opposition coalition the National Salvation Front, was arrested in February along with former minister Lazhar Akremi, a lawyer.

Both were among some 20 opposition, media and business figures arrested in February on charges of “conspiracy against state security”.

They were released late Thursday night to cheers from relatives and supporters, AFP journalists said.

Issa wore a red T-shirt stamped “Free”, and expressed happiness at her release.

“But it’s not complete happiness” because “the injustice I suffered is still being suffered by my friends who remain” imprisoned, she told journalists.

A small group of people greeted the pair after their release, with applause and sounding horns.

“We went in and we came out,” Akremi said of their stay in prison.

“We don’t know why we went in or why we left. That’s it! Quite simply.”

Rights groups have condemned a “witch hunt” aimed at “repressing” freedom of opinion in the North African country since President Saied froze parliament and sacked the government in a dramatic July 2021 move.

His critics have dubbed the power grab a “coup” against the sole democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings a decade previously.

The defence team for Issa and Akremi said in a statement that the investigating judge decided to “release Chaima Issa and also responded to the defence committee’s request for the release of Lazhar Akremi”.

The appeals court judge rejected the team’s request to free other political opponents.

On May 24, Nouredine Boutar, the head of Tunisia’s most popular independent radio station Mosaique FM, was freed as part of the same investigation.

But he is still charged with plotting conspiracy against state security and money laundering.

Earlier Thursday, around 100 protesters rallied in Tunis to demand freedom for the 20 detained critics of Saied, who has ruled largely by decree for the past two years.

Saied has described the jailed figures as “terrorists”.

Arrests since February include National Salvation Front co-founder Jaouhar Ben Mbarek and Rached Ghannouchi leader of the Islamist-inspired opposition Ennahdha party.

In addition to the political crisis triggered by Saied’s power grab, Tunisia has been shaken by a serious financial crisis and is in search of foreign aid.

On Wednesday, European parliamentarians expressed their opposition to any “unconditional agreement” between the European Union and Tunisia, citing “the excesses” of Saied.

They urged the authorities to “release arbitrarily imprisoned opponents, defend the rights of Tunisian citizens and support their struggle for democracy”. Arrests since February include National Salvation Front co-founder Jaouhar Ben Mbarek and Rached Ghannouchi leader of the Islamist-inspired opposition Ennahdha party.

In addition to the political crisis triggered by Saied’s power grab, Tunisia has been shaken by a serious financial crisis and is in search of foreign aid.

On Wednesday, European parliamentarians expressed their opposition to any “unconditional agreement” between the European Union and Tunisia, citing “the excesses” of Saied.

They urged the authorities to “release arbitrarily imprisoned opponents, defend the rights of Tunisian citizens and support their struggle for democracy”.