Release of two prominent opponents

2023-07-14 04:25:04

Two leading opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied, imprisoned for more than five months, have been released, their defense committee announced Thursday evening.

Chaima Issa, a member of the main opposition National Salvation Front (FSN) coalition, and former minister Lazhar Akremi were among a group of around 20 opponents and business figures arrested since February in the part of an investigation for “conspiracy against state security”. On his release from prison, Chaima Issa was able to hug his son.

She says hello to her son after five months of detention and asks, “Who else got out?” This is Shaima! #Down with the coup pic.twitter.com/oOrJYckfAv

– Fida Hammami Fida Hammami (@ FidaaHammami) July 13, 2023

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Their defense team said in a statement that the investigating judge decided to “release Chaima Issa and also responded to the defense committee’s request for the release of Me Lazhar Akremi”, who is also a lawyer. The defense committee said it demanded the release of the other political opponents, but the appeals court judge rejected the request.

Manifestation

Before them, on May 24, the boss of Mosaïque FM, the most listened to independent private radio station in Tunisia, Nouredine Boutar, had been released after being imprisoned as part of this investigation, but on condition of payment of a bail. one million dinars (about 300,000 euros). He remains prosecuted for conspiracy against state security and money laundering.

A hundred demonstrators and relatives of opponents and detained personalities demonstrated Thursday morning to demand their release, denouncing arrests motivated by “political reasons”.

“My father pays the bill for his love for Tunisia”, testified in the demonstration, Abdelaziz, son of Issam Chebbi, 65, leader of the FSN who was already a fierce opponent of the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, overthrown by the popular revolt of 2011. According to Abdelaziz Chebbi, “justice is under the orders of the executive power and is not independent”.

” Witch hunt “

The campaign of arrests launched since February has targeted prominent political leaders, including DSF co-founder Jaouhar Ben Mbarek and leader of the Islamo-conservative Ennahdha movement, DSF member Rached Ghannouchi.

The NGO Amnesty International denounced a “witch hunt motivated by political considerations”. “The detainees were questioned about meetings and telephone exchanges with foreign diplomats, others about interviews with the media”, according to the NGO.

Several Tunisian and international NGOs have reported a regression of rights and freedoms in the country since the coup by which Kais Saied seized full power in July 2021.