Several Tunisian parliamentarians critical of President Saïed arrested

Three Tunisian members of parliament were arrested in recent days following criticism of President Kaïs Saïed's invoking of a 'national emergency' to suspend the Tunisian parliament, remove the prime minister and lift lawmakers' parliamentary immunity on 25 July. The arrests take place as the country waits for President Saïed – who currently holds all executive power – to name a new prime minister.

The most recent arrests are of two deputies from the Islamo-nationalist movement, Al Karama – an ally of the largest party, Ennahda – announced its leader, Seifeddine Makhlouf, on Sunday (1 August). Maher Zid and Mohamed Affes are in pre-trial detention as part of a “military justice investigation”, Makhlouf explained on Facebook. Zid and Affes have reportedly been arrested in connection to an altercation in March known as the 'airport affair', where they were accused of insulting border police that had forbidden a woman from travelling. The arrests come after Al Karama referred to Saïed's recent moves as a “coup d'etat”.

On Friday (30 July), the independent MP and blogger, Yassine Ayari, was also arrested pursuant to a two-month prison sentence passed in late 2018 for speaking critically against the army. The arrest happened after he referred to the president's moves of 25 July as a “military coup”.

Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) deputy director for the MENA region, Eric Goldstein, stated in a tweet that Ayari's arrest “confirms fears that when President Saied seized extraordinary powers, he'd use them against his critics”.

Additionally, the Tunisian branch of the NGO Amnesty International also expressed its “concern” over Ayari's arrest, saying it “strongly condemns the trial of civilians in military courts and opinion trials of all kinds”.

 

source: commonspace.eu with RFI (Issy-les-Moulineaux), Le Monde (Paris) and agencies.
photo: President Kaïs Saïed on an inspection tour of Habib Bourguiba street in Tunis, 1 August 2021; Twitter account of the Tunisian presidency.

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
Dunya Mijatovic: "Entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians"

Dunya Mijatovic: "Entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians"

On March 27, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, issued a statement calling on the Georgian government to “fully respect” its human rights obligations as a Council of Europe member state, “including with regard to the protection of the human rights of LGBTI people,” in response to the ruling party’s initiation of two draft constitutional laws on “family values and the protection of minors.” “I am concerned about the present political discourse in Georgia, as illustrated by the announcement made by the Georgian Dream Party of their initiative to amend the Constitution and to adopt a new constitutional law on ‘Protection of Family Values and Underaged Persons’. It is reflective of entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people which still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians, and is capable of having a strong, negative impact on the human rights, safety and well-being of LGBTI people and defenders of their rights. It also represents the political manipulation of LGBTI-phobia in the run-up to elections, which I have previously condemned, and which should have no place in a democratic society, based on the rule of law and respect for human rights of everyone.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Dunya Mijatovic: "Entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians"

Dunya Mijatovic: "Entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians"

On March 27, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, issued a statement calling on the Georgian government to “fully respect” its human rights obligations as a Council of Europe member state, “including with regard to the protection of the human rights of LGBTI people,” in response to the ruling party’s initiation of two draft constitutional laws on “family values and the protection of minors.” “I am concerned about the present political discourse in Georgia, as illustrated by the announcement made by the Georgian Dream Party of their initiative to amend the Constitution and to adopt a new constitutional law on ‘Protection of Family Values and Underaged Persons’. It is reflective of entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudice against LGBTI people which still prevail in segments of Georgian society, including some politicians, and is capable of having a strong, negative impact on the human rights, safety and well-being of LGBTI people and defenders of their rights. It also represents the political manipulation of LGBTI-phobia in the run-up to elections, which I have previously condemned, and which should have no place in a democratic society, based on the rule of law and respect for human rights of everyone.