Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Friday that since February 22, Tunisian authorities have arrested three people critical of President Kais Saied, bringing the number of public figures to at least 12. considered critical of him behind bars.
Without naming them, the president accused them, on February 14 during a televised address, of being “terrorists” and “traitors”, deplores the organization which underlines that these accusations were made even before the people concerned are formally charged with « conspiracy against internal security ».
“After taking over the supervision of the prosecution and dismissing judges on the right and on the left, President Saied is now attacking his detractors with complete freedom,” said Salsabil Chellali, director of HRWatch’s office in Tunis. “Saied calls them terrorists and without even bothering to claim to gather credible evidence,” she regretted.
The NGO recalls that the first wave of arrests between February 11 and 15 concerned at least nine people, including five opponents or critics of the authorities, two magistrates, a businessman and the director of a radio. All are still detained, including a judge who is incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital.
Three of the defense attorneys for those arrested told HRW that the serious charges against their clients are not supported by the evidence in the files.
“The message these arrests send is that if you dare to speak out, the president can have you arrested and publicly expose you, while his minions try to build a case against you based on things you have said or people you have said. have encountered », concluded Salsabil Chellali.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1064 of 02/25/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
