Protests in Tunisia Demand Release of Journalists and Activists Amid Political Turmoil and Migrant Interceptions

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Tunisia’s capital on Sunday to demand the release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition figures, and to call for the setting of a date for fair presidential elections. The protest comes amid an escalating economic and political crisis and a wave of arrests targeting journalists, lawyers, activists, and opposition members.

Tensions heightened when Tunisian police stormed the Deanship of Lawyers on Saturday, arresting Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer known for her fierce criticism of President Kais Saied. Two journalists were also detained the same day. The Election Commission has stated that elections will be held on time, but with the president’s first term nearing its end, no date has been announced.

President Saied, who took office following free elections in 2019, seized additional powers two years later by shutting down the elected parliament and ruling by decree. He also assumed authority over the judiciary, a move the opposition called a coup. Saied has criticised the opposition’s focus on the presidential vote, accusing them of boycotting parliamentary elections.

The opposition argues that the current political climate, marked by press restrictions and the imprisonment of prominent figures, is unsuitable for holding elections. They called for an end to these restrictions to ensure a fair voting process.

“Today there is no climate for fair elections and no date has been set. The authorities are repressing politicians, lawyers, and journalists,” said Imed Khemiri, a senior official in the Ennahda party and a member of the Salvation Front, which organised the protest. “The storming of the lawyers’ headquarters yesterday is a dangerous precedent that perpetuates the authoritarian regime.”

Prominent opposition figures like Abir Moussa have been imprisoned for months, while others, such as Mondher Zanaidi, have announced their candidacies from abroad due to fears of arrest if they return to Tunisia. President Saied has labelled potential candidates as traitors seeking foreign protection, without specifying names.

Escalation of Migrant Interceptions in Tunisia

On the same day, Tunisia reported a 22.5 percent increase in the number of migrants intercepted on shore or rescued at sea as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Italy. The National Guard announced that more than 21,000 people were prevented from leaving Tunisian shores or were rescued during the first four months of 2024, compared to 17,576 in the same period last year.

The National Guard’s statement highlighted that interceptions occurred in an equivalent number of operations – 751 this year versus 756 in 2023. Tunisia, along with neighbouring Libya, has become a key departure point for migrants, often from sub-Saharan African countries, risking dangerous sea journeys to Europe. The statement also noted an increase in interceptions along Tunisia’s borders with Algeria and Libya, with a significant rise in the number of alleged smugglers arrested.

Sfax, Tunisia’s second city, remains the main departure point for clandestine attempts to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. The European Union, at Italy’s urging, signed an agreement last summer to provide financial aid to Tunisia in exchange for a commitment to curb migrant departures.

Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesman for the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights NGO, criticised the state’s approach to migration as focused on interception rather than rescue. A recent UN report indicated that over 27,000 migrants have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in the past decade, with over 3,000 deaths in the past year alone.

National Strike by Tunisian Lawyers

In response to the arrest of Sonia Dahmani, Tunisian lawyers announced a national strike in all courts on Monday. Hatem Meziou, President of the Bar Association, condemned the police raid as a blatant violation and demanded Dahmani’s immediate release. He pledged that complaints would be filed against those responsible for the raid and affirmed that the Bar Association Council would remain in permanent session to monitor the situation.

Dahmani’s arrest came after she received a summons for making sarcastic comments about President Saied’s speech on irregular African immigrants. This crackdown on critics is part of a broader trend under Decree 54, a law introduced by Saied in 2022 to combat cybercrime and misinformation but increasingly used to silence dissent.

As the political and economic crises in Tunisia persist, the demand for free and fair elections grows louder. Tunisians continue to take to the streets, calling for a political climate that respects press and political freedoms and ensures the release of imprisoned activists and journalists.