Abir Moussi jailed Kais Saied critic

Opposition figure latest to be jailed in Tunisia

A prominent critic of Tunisian President, Kais Saied was arrested earlier this month, according to French newspaper, Le Monde, October 6.

Lawyer and opposition figure, Abir Moussi, who was previously spared, was arrested on October 6 near the Carthage Palace in Tunis.

She was elected to the Assembly of the People’s Representatives in 2019.

Moussi, 48, is the leader of Free Destourian Party (PDL), a Tunisian nationalist and anti-Islamist party. The party is still a popular force in the North African country.

The PDL head is one of twenty of Saied’s opponents to be the victim of Tunisia’s repressive laws as the President ramps up his authoritarian stance.

Moussi was arrested due to attempting to appeal against the holding of local elections set to take at the end of the year in December.

It is believed that he is taking this stance as he is a man under pressure with approval ratings tumbling and an incapability of finding solutions to economic issues.

Notable political figure, Rached Ghannouchi was sentenced to a year in prison on May 15 for “plotting against state security”. The 81-year year old went on a three-day hunger strike late last month to show solidarity with fellow dissenters of Saied who have been imprisoned.

Mr. Ghannouchi is the leader of the Enhada Party, (commonly referred to as the Muslim Brotherhood) a conservative outfit that remains a thorn in the President’s side.

Ghannouchi is a former speaker of the Assembly of the People’s Representatives.

The multiple arrests of Tunisian politicians have prompted the families to act, calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate claims of political persecution and human rights abuses.

The Enhada leader’s daughter, Yusra Ghannouchi was accompanied by other dissidents’ relatives in The Hague to announce plans to pursue action at the ICC.

Widely significant, The Hague is often dubbed The Netherlands’ de facto capital.

LE MONDE

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