Latest news with #anti-Saied
Al Jazeera
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Former Tunisian PM handed 34-year sentence, rejects ‘terrorism' charges
A Tunisian court has sentenced former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh to 34 years in prison over accusations he facilitated the departure of fighters to Syria – a charge the opposition figure strongly denies. 'I was neither sympathetic, nor complicit, nor neutral, nor lenient towards violence, terrorism,' Larayedh told the judge on Friday, rejecting what he and his Ennahdha party have called a politically motivated prosecution. The ruling is the latest blow to the Ennahdha party, a major opposition force to President Kais Saied. Larayedh, who served as prime minister from 2013 to 2014, has been in detention since 2022. His sentencing comes just a week after the arrest of vocal Saied critic Ahmed Souab and new prison terms handed down to political opponents, media figures and businesspeople on various conspiracy charges. According to state news agency TAP, the sentences apply to eight individuals, with prison terms ranging from 18 to 36 years. The court did not name those convicted alongside Larayedh. Ennahdha denies all terrorism-related allegations, arguing that the case is part of a broader campaign against dissent that has intensified since Saied suspended parliament and assumed sweeping powers in 2021. The government maintains that Tunisia's judiciary is independent, rejecting claims of political interference. Human rights groups, however, say the crackdown on opposition voices – including the jailing of Souab – marks a dangerous escalation. Many warn that democratic gains in the birthplace of the Arab Spring in the years since the 2011 revolution are being steadily rolled back. Saied faced protests on Thursday as opponents took to the streets of Tunis, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to silence dissent. The demonstration, the second in a week, comes amid growing alarm over what critics see as an authoritarian drift in the country that sparked the Arab Spring. Marching down Habib Bourguiba Avenue, anti-Saied protesters chanted slogans including 'Saied go away, you are a dictator' and 'The people want the fall of the regime' – echoing the calls that fuelled the 2011 uprising that ousted former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Supporters of Saied held a counter-rally on the same boulevard, shouting, 'No to foreign interference' and 'The people want Saied again'. The opposition accuses Saied of undermining the democracy won in the 2011 revolution, since he seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary.
TimesLIVE
02-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Tunisia leader's opponents, supporters stage rival rallies in political split
Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied protested on the streets of Tunis on Thursday, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to suppress critics, while his supporters held a counter-rally, highlighting a deepening political divide. The anti-Saied demonstration — the second opposition protest in a week — reflects growing concerns among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding toward one-man rule. Demonstrators on the capital's main thoroughfare chanted slogans such as "Saied go away, you are dictator" and "The people want the fall of the regime", a slogan reminiscent of the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. On the same street, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, Saied's supporters rallied in his defence, chanting, "No to foreign interference" and "The people want Saied again". Riot police deployed in large numbers to separate the groups. No clashes were reported. The demonstrations follow a months-long government crackdown on Saied's critics, including the detention last week of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of the president.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tunisia leader Saied's opponents, supporters stage rival rallies
Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied have protested on the streets of the capital Tunis, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to suppress critics, while his supporters have held a counter-rally, highlighting a deepening political divide wracking the nation. The anti-Saied demonstration – the second opposition protest in a week – reflects growing concern among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding towards an autocracy. Demonstrators on the capital's main thoroughfare chanted slogans such as 'Saied go away, you are a dictator' and 'The people want the fall of the regime,' a slogan that evoked the 2011 uprising – the first in the region in a year of tumult, and which toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. On the same street, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, Saied's supporters rallied in his defence, chanting, 'No to foreign interference' and 'The people want Saied again.' Riot police have been deployed in large numbers to separate the groups. No clashes have been reported as of yet. The demonstrations follow a months-long government crackdown on Saied's critics, including the detention last week of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of the Thursday, the anti-Saeid protesters marched from the headquarters of the Administrative Court, where Souab had served as a judge before retiring and becoming a lawyer widely respected by all political parties. They then joined other protesters in a square that is home to the headquarters of the powerful UGTT union, before heading towards Habib Bourguiba Avenue. Souab's arrest followed prison sentences handed down last week to opposition leaders on conspiracy charges, drawing criticism from France, Germany, and the United Nations. Saied rejected the criticism, calling it a blatant interference in Tunisia's sovereignty. The opposition accuses Saied of undermining the democracy won in the 2011 revolution, since he seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary. They described his move as a coup, while Saied says it was legal and necessary to end chaos and rampant corruption. The leaders of most political parties in Tunisia are in prison. The government says there is democracy in Tunisia. Saied says he will not be a dictator but insists that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable.
Al Jazeera
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Tunisia leader Saied's opponents, supporters stage rival rallies
Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied have protested on the streets of the capital Tunis, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to suppress critics, while his supporters have held a counter-rally, highlighting a deepening political divide wracking the nation. The anti-Saied demonstration – the second opposition protest in a week – reflects growing concern among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding towards an autocracy. Demonstrators on the capital's main thoroughfare chanted slogans such as 'Saied go away, you are a dictator' and 'The people want the fall of the regime,' a slogan that evoked the 2011 uprising – the first in the region in a year of tumult, and which toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. On the same street, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, Saied's supporters rallied in his defence, chanting, 'No to foreign interference' and 'The people want Saied again.' Riot police have been deployed in large numbers to separate the groups. No clashes have been reported as of yet. The demonstrations follow a months-long government crackdown on Saied's critics, including the detention last week of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of the president. On Thursday, the anti-Saeid protesters marched from the headquarters of the Administrative Court, where Souab had served as a judge before retiring and becoming a lawyer widely respected by all political parties. They then joined other protesters in a square that is home to the headquarters of the powerful UGTT union, before heading towards Habib Bourguiba Avenue. Souab's arrest followed prison sentences handed down last week to opposition leaders on conspiracy charges, drawing criticism from France, Germany, and the United Nations. Saied rejected the criticism, calling it a blatant interference in Tunisia's sovereignty. The opposition accuses Saied of undermining the democracy won in the 2011 revolution, since he seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary. They described his move as a coup, while Saied says it was legal and necessary to end chaos and rampant corruption. The leaders of most political parties in Tunisia are in prison. The government says there is democracy in Tunisia. Saied says he will not be a dictator but insists that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable.
Arab News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Tunisia leader's opponents, supporters stage rival rallies in sharp political split
TUNIS: Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied protested on the streets of Tunis on Thursday, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to suppress critics, while his supporters held a counter-rally, highlighting a deepening political anti-Saied demonstration — the second opposition protest in a week — reflects growing concerns among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding toward one-man on the capital's main thoroughfare chanted slogans such as 'Saied go away, you are dictator' and 'The people want the fall of the regime,' a slogan reminiscent of the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben the same street, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, Saied's supporters rallied in his defense, chanting, 'No to foreign interference' and 'The people want Saied again.'Riot police deployed in large numbers to separate the groups. No clashes were demonstrations follow a months-long government crackdown on Saied's critics, including the detention last week of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of the Thursday the anti-Saeid protesters marched from the headquarters of the Administrative Court, where Souab had served as a judge before retiring and becoming a lawyer widely respected by all political then joined other protesters in a square that is home to the headquarters of the powerful UGTT union, before heading toward Habib Bourguiba arrest followed prison sentences handed down last week to opposition leaders on conspiracy charges, drawing criticism from France, Germany, and the United rejected the criticisms, calling it a blatant interference in Tunisia's opposition accuses Saied of undermining the democracy won in the 2011 revolution, since he seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the described his move as a coup, while Saied says it was legal and necessary to end chaos and rampant leaders of most political parties in Tunisia are in prison, including Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of Ennahda — two of Saied's most prominent government says there is democracy in Tunisia. Saied says he will not be a dictator, but insists that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable.
