Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Tunis on Friday to denounce President Kais Saied’s rule, marking the fourth anniversary of what many have called a democratic backslide in the North African nation.
Under the banner “The Republic is a Large Prison,” demonstrators marched along the historic Habib Bourguiba Avenue, demanding the release of jailed opposition leaders, journalists, and civil society activists. They chanted slogans such as “No fear, no terror, the streets belong to the people” and “The people want the fall of the regime.”
The protest was a direct rebuke of Saied’s consolidation of power since July 25, 2021, when he dissolved the elected parliament and began ruling by decree — a move the opposition branded a coup. Protesters accused his government of silencing dissent through politically motivated arrests and trials.
“Tunisia under Saied has become an open-air prison,” said Monia Ibrahim, wife of imprisoned opposition figure Abdelhamid Jelassi. “Our goal is to fight against tyranny, restore democracy, and demand the release of political detainees.”
Since taking power, Saied has taken controversial steps to reshape Tunisia’s institutions, including dissolving the independent Supreme Judicial Council in 2022 and dismissing dozens of judges — a decision critics argue was meant to further entrench his authority.
Despite claims that he does not interfere in the judiciary, Saied has publicly labeled detained opposition figures as “traitors and terrorists” and warned that judges who acquit them are complicit.
Among those imprisoned are prominent political leaders Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party, and Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party. Dozens of other politicians, journalists, and lawyers have also been detained under broad anti-terrorism and conspiracy laws. Some have fled Tunisia, seeking asylum abroad.
“Prisons are full of Saied’s critics—activists, journalists, lawyers,” said Saib Souab, son of detained lawyer and outspoken government critic Ahmed Souab. “Even those not imprisoned live in fear, under constant threat of arrest.”
The protest underscored growing frustration among Tunisians who once hailed the country as a rare success story of the Arab Spring but now fear the erosion of hard-won democratic freedoms.
