Tunis (EFE).- More than 2,000 people marched on Sunday in central Tunis to protest what they describe as the government’s growing repression under Tunisian President Kais Saied, demanding the release of political prisoners and the restoration of civil liberties, according to organizers and demonstrators.
Protesters called for the liberation of “prisoners of conscience,” including opposition leaders, lawyers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and members of civil society groups.
One of the most controversial cases is the so-called “Plot Against State Security,” in which 37 opposition figures received sentences of up to 66 years in prison.
Several of them are awaiting an appeal hearing scheduled Nov. 27.
“We are here to demand the freedom of all political detainees,” Mongi Souab, brother of imprisoned lawyer and former judge Ahmed Souab, told EFE during the march. “This call is supported by the country’s main parties and organizations, and we will not remain silent.”
Demonstrators carried placards with Saied’s face and the slogan “Not My President,” accusing him of dismantling democratic safeguards since assuming expanded powers in 2021.
Journalists demand press freedom
The march stopped in front of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) to denounce restrictions imposed on media access to public spaces and interference with reporting.
Journalists say their “freedom and dignity” have deteriorated under the current administration.
“We are defending our constitutional right to work without intimidation,” members of the SNJT said in a statement read during the protest.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned of shrinking press freedom in Tunisia amid arrests and legal pressure targeting reporters and commentators critical of the government.
Civil society under pressure
Protesters also defended the right of association after several NGOs were suspended in recent weeks, including the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES).
Fatma Asma, an activist with the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), which was suspended for 30 days, told EFE that she joined the demonstration “in solidarity with all victims of the authoritarian drift.” She said her organization intends to appeal the suspension and continue operating.
The crowd further expressed support for residents of Gabes, in eastern Tunisia, who have been protesting for weeks to demand the immediate closure of a chemical complex blamed for respiratory problems affecting hundreds since early September.
Since Saied overhauled the political system and rewrote the Constitution before being re-elected in 2024, international organizations have documented what they describe as intensified repression against dissent in the North African nation. EFE
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