Hundreds of Tunisians took to the streets on Friday to demand democracy, freedoms, and an end to arbitrary detention of critics and opponents, escalating pressure on President Kais Saied’s government.
The protesters, who marched under the slogan “Free Tunisia, Free Ahmed Souab,” held up pictures of imprisoned journalists, politicians, and lawyers, including prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a vocal critic of Saied.
The government has faced widespread criticism for its crackdown on dissent, including Souab’s arrest and prison sentences against opposition leaders on conspiring charges.
The opposition says Saied has had full control over the judiciary since dissolving parliament in 2021 and beginning to rule by decree.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “It’s your turn, Saied, dictator” and “The people want the fall of the regime,” echoing the protests that ousted former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
International organizations, including France, Germany, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have also criticized the government’s actions, saying the conditions for a fair trial were not met.
