Hundreds of supporters of Abir Moussi, a prominent opponent of the Tunisian president, gathered on Sunday in the capital to protest her detention, AFP journalists said. Moussi, who has on multiple occasions accused Saied of carrying out “a coup”, was arrested on October 3 in front of the presidential palace. Moussi is accused of crimes connected to “attacks that aim to change the form of government, inciting people to take up arms against others or provoking disorder, murder or pillage on Tunisian territory” — which potentially carry the death penalty.
An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people took to the streets on Sunday in central Tunis to protest her arrest, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with images of Moussi, leader of the Free Destourian Party. The crowd chanted “Shame! Shame! They condemned Abir because she resisted”, and “With our souls, with our blood, we are with you Abir”. According to her party, Moussi had visited the presidential palace to file appeals against decrees issued by Saied and used to dramatically reshape the political system.
Saied dissolved the legislature and assumed wide-ranging powers on July 25, 2021 as part of a power grab that opponents say has returned the North African country to autocracy. He has since ruled by decree, and last year rammed through a constitution that gave his office unlimited powers and neutered parliament, in the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings that swept the region more than a decade ago.
An outspoken critic of both Saied and Islamist opposition party Ennahdha, Moussi is accused by her detractors of wanting to return to the authoritarianism of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, overthrown inTunisia’s 2011 revolt. Since February, authorities have arrested more than 20 opposition politicians, former ministers, and media personalities.
