‘Enough Repression’: Thousands of Tunisians Protest Against Saied’s Authoritarian Turn

In a powerful display of defiance, thousands of Tunisians flooded the streets of the capital on Saturday, voicing their fury against President Kais Saied’s escalating crackdown on dissent and what they describe as the systematic dismantling of the nation’s democratic institutions.

The protest, organized under the slogan “against injustice,” saw at least 2,000 demonstrators march through central Tunis. Dressed in black and brandishing red ribbons and whistles, they chanted slogans that once echoed during the 2011 Arab Spring, including “the people want the fall of the regime” and “no fear, no terror, the street belongs to the people.” Placards held high conveyed a simple, potent message: “Enough repression,” “Not my president,” and “Freedom.”

The rally represented a rare show of unity in Tunisia’s fractured political landscape, bringing together activists from various human rights NGOs, members of dissolved political parties, and ordinary citizens united in their opposition to Saied.

A Unifying Cry Against a Widening Crackdown

The protest was galvanized by a recent wave of arrests and prison sentences targeting a broad spectrum of government critics. Weeks earlier, a Tunisian court sentenced former administrative judge Ahmed Souab to five years in prison, a move seen as part of Saied’s politicization of the judiciary.

Tunisian journalist Said Zouari told Al Jazeera that the demonstrations revealed a newfound solidarity among groups of diverse ideological backgrounds. “But these protests are not finding any echo in the Carthage Palace,” Zouari noted, referring to the presidential residence and suggesting the administration remains unmoved.

The government has jailed dozens of opposition figures, journalists, lawyers, and businesspeople in recent months, officially accusing them of “conspiring against state security.” However, critics argue that Saied is weaponizing the judiciary and police to systematically target anyone who challenges his authority.

“All the progress of the past 14 years has been overturned,” said Ayoub Amara, one of the protest organizers. “Tunisia is big enough for all Tunisians, and no single person can rule it according to his whims.”

The personal toll of the crackdown was palpable among the crowd. Monia Brahim, the wife of jailed opposition figure Abdelhamid Jlassi, told The Associated Press she joined the march because she believes “many Tunisians are facing deep injustice.”

“I came to defend my rights as a citizen,” she said. “Political prisoners know for a fact that they are in prison to pay the price for their principles, their constitutional right for civil and political activism, and are being held hostage by the regime established today in Tunisia.”

Among those detained, several are currently on hunger strike, including prominent constitutional law professor Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, who has been refusing food for over 20 days.

The Erosion of a Democratic Experiment

The protest underscores a profound national crisis in the birthplace of the Arab Spring. The democratic gains painstakingly built since the 2011 revolution that ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali are rapidly eroding.

President Saied, a political independent who was democratically elected in 2019 on an anti-corruption platform, has steadily consolidated power. In July 2021, he suspended parliament, dismissed the government, and granted himself the power to rule by decree. He later pushed through a new constitution that vested overwhelming authority in the presidency, effectively ending the mixed parliamentary-presidential system that had been a cornerstone of Tunisia’s post-revolution democracy.

Initially, the crackdown focused on the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, a dominant force in post-revolution politics. Its leader, former Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, has been handed multiple prison sentences in cases his supporters insist are politically motivated.

However, the net has widened considerably. Even Saied’s former allies have not been spared. In a stark example, Nadia Akacha, the president’s former chief of staff and once a close aide, was sentenced in absentia to 35 years in prison last July.

International Alarm and a Government in Denial

Rights groups have raised the alarm about the suppression of civil society. Amnesty International stated earlier this month that the crackdown has reached a “critical level,” citing arbitrary arrests, asset freezes, banking restrictions, and the temporary suspension of at least 14 NGOs.

Human Rights Watch has documented that more than 50 people, including politicians, lawyers, journalists, and activists, have been subjected to arbitrary arrest or prosecution since late 2022 for exercising their rights to free expression and assembly. The group warns that broad anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws are being misused to criminalize dissent and stifle free speech.

Despite the mounting evidence and domestic outcry, President Saied vehemently denies being a dictator or using the judiciary to target opponents. He frames his actions as a necessary “cleansing” of Tunisia from “traitors” and “corrupt” elites he claims have plundered the state.

Saturday’s march was part of a broader surge in protests nationwide, fueled not only by political repression but also by a severe economic downturn. With soaring inflation and high unemployment, many Tunisians feel betrayed by the failure of their hard-won democracy to deliver prosperity and justice, leaving them to confront an increasingly authoritarian future.

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