Tunisians Protest Against President as Jailed Politicians Begin Hunger Strike
Hundreds of Tunisians staged two protest rallies on Wednesday against what they say is the authoritarian rule of President Kais Saied and demanded the release of political prisoners, while six detained opposition figures held a hunger strike.
Saied seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary. The opposition described his move as a coup, Reuters reported.
Supporters of the opposition Free Constitutional Party gathered in the capital Tunis to demand the release of their detained leader Abir Moussi. They chanted slogans such as "Saied, dictator, your turn has come," and "Free Abir".
"What is happening is true tyranny, no freedom for the opposition, no freedom for the media. Any word can send you to prison," one protester, Hayat Ayari, told Reuters.
Hundreds of supporters of another opposition party, the Salvation Front, staged a separate rally, also in Tunis, to demand the release of detained politicians, activists and journalists.
Six prominent opposition figures detained on conspiracy charges have begun a hunger strike in prison to protest against their impending trial, their lawyers said on Wednesday.
Abdelhamid Jelassi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, Khiyam Turki, Ridha Belhaj, Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi - all detained in 2023 during a crackdown on the opposition - have refused to participate in what they say is an "unfair trial".
Saied said in 2023 that the detainees were "traitors and terrorists" and that the judges who acquitted them were their accomplices.
The detainees have denied any wrongdoing and have said they were preparing an initiative aimed at uniting Tunisia's fragmented opposition.
Most leaders of political parties are now in prison including two of Saied's most prominent opponents, Moussi and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the Ennahda party.
The government says there is democracy in Tunisia and Saied says he will not be a dictator, but that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
US-China trade truce leaves military-use rare earth issue unresolved, sources say
BEIJING/SINGAPORE: The renewed US-China trade truce struck in London left a key area of export restrictions tied to national security untouched, an unresolved conflict that threatens a more comprehensive deal, two people briefed on detailed outcomes of the talks told Reuters. Beijing has not committed to grant export clearance for some specialized rare-earth magnets that US military suppliers need for fighter jets and missile systems, the people said. The United States maintains export curbs on China's purchases of advanced artificial intelligence chips out of concern that they also have military applications. At talks in London last week, China's negotiators appeared to link progress in lifting export controls on military-use rare earth magnets with the longstanding US curbs on exports of the most advanced AI chips to China. That marked a new twist in trade talks that began with opioid trafficking, tariff rates and China's trade surplus, but have since shifted to focus on export controls. In addition, US officials also signalled they are looking to extend existing tariffs on China for a further 90 days beyond the August 10 deadline agreed in Geneva last month, both sources said, suggesting a more permanent trade deal between the world's two largest economies is unlikely before then. The two people who spoke to Reuters about the London talks requested not to be named because both sides have tightly controlled disclosure. The White House, State Department and Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China's Foreign and Commerce ministries did not respond to faxed requests for comment. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the handshake deal reached in London between American and Chinese negotiators was a 'great deal,' adding, 'we have everything we need, and we're going to do very well with it. And hopefully they are too.' And US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there would be no 'quid pro quo' on easing curbs on exports of AI chips to China in exchange for access to rare earths. CHINA CHOKEHOLD But China's chokehold on the rare earth magnets needed for weapons systems remains a potential flashpoint. China dominates global production of rare earths and holds a virtual monopoly on refining and processing. A deal reached in Geneva last month to reduce bilateral tariffs from crushing triple-digit levels had faltered over Beijing's restrictions on critical minerals exports that took shape in April. That prompted the Trump administration to respond with export controls preventing shipments of semiconductor design software, jet engines for Chinese-made planes and other goods to China. At the London talks, China promised to fast-track approval of rare-earth export applications from non-military US manufacturers out of the tens of thousands currently pending, one of the sources said. Those licenses will have a six-month term. Beijing also offered to set up a 'green channel' for expediting license approvals from trusted US companies. Initial signals were positive, with Chinese rare-earths magnet producer JL MAG Rare-Earth, saying on Wednesday it had obtained export licenses that included the United States, while China's Commerce Ministry confirmed it had approved some 'compliant applications' for export licenses. But China has not budged on specialized rare earths, including samarium, which are needed for military applications and are outside the fast-track agreed in London, the two people said. Automakers and other manufacturers largely need other rare earth magnets, including dysprosium and terbium. BIG ISSUES REMAIN The rushed trade meeting in London followed a call last week between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump said US tariffs would be set at 55 percent for China, while China had agreed to 10 percent from the United States. Trump initially imposed tariffs on China as punishment for its massive trade surplus to the United States and over what he says is Beijing's failure to stem the flow of the powerful opioid fentanyl into the US Chinese analysts are pessimistic about the likelihood of further breakthroughs before the August 10 deadline agreed in Geneva. 'Temporary mutual accommodation of some concerns is possible but the fundamental issue of the trade imbalance cannot be resolved within this timeframe, and possibly during Trump's remaining term,' said Liu Weidong, a US-China expert at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. An extension of the August deadline could allow the Trump administration more time to establish an alternative legal claim for setting higher tariffs on China under the Section 301 authority of the USTR in case Trump loses the ongoing legal challenge to the tariffs in US court, one of the people with knowledge of the London talks said. The unresolved issues underscore the difficulty the Trump administration faces in pushing its trade agenda with China because of Beijing's control of rare earths and its willingness to use that as leverage with Washington, said Ryan Hass, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution. 'It has taken the Trump team a few punches in the nose to recognize that they will no longer be able to secure another trade agreement with China that disproportionately addresses Trump's priorities,' Hass said.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Sirens activated in northern Israel due to ‘hostile aircraft infiltration:' Military
Israeli military on Sunday said sirens were activated in northern Israel due to a 'hostile aircraft infiltration,' according to a Reuters report.
Saudi Gazette
18 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Iran calls nuclear talks with US 'meaningless' amid Israeli strikes
TEHRAN — Iran's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that there was 'no point' in continuing nuclear talks with the United States while Israeli attacks on Iranian territory persist, casting doubt over the scheduled negotiations in Oman. Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that under the current circumstances, "participating in a dialogue with a party that is the aggressor's biggest supporter and partner is meaningless." The comments came ahead of the sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, which were due to take place in Muscat on Sunday. Baghaei accused Washington of backing Israel's latest military campaign, which Tehran says marks the most extensive Israeli strike on Iranian soil to date. 'The other side has acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless,' he said, adding that 'you cannot claim to negotiate while simultaneously dividing labor by allowing the Israeli regime to target Iranian territory.' He further claimed that the Israeli operation could not have occurred without U.S. approval and accused Israel of deliberately undermining the diplomatic Iran has consistently denied that its nuclear program has any military dimension, it reiterated that the enrichment activities remain strictly for civilian alleges otherwise, claiming Tehran is covertly pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to Reuters, acknowledged awareness of the Israeli strikes but maintained that there was still potential for a deal with White House has denied any direct involvement in the Israeli operation. As of Saturday, it remained unclear whether the Muscat talks would go ahead as planned. — Agencies
