Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Tunisian government of systematically using arbitrary detention to suppress dissent, urging authorities to end the ongoing crackdown and release political prisoners, as several high-profile opposition figures face trial on conspiracy charges.
In a report released Wednesday, the New York-based rights group said the administration of President Kais Saied had made arbitrary arrests a central tool in silencing critics, reversing hard-won freedoms achieved since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
“President Saied’s government has dragged Tunisia back into an era of political imprisonment, stripping citizens of their civil liberties,” said Bassam Khawaja, HRW’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.
The report echoed growing concerns among opposition leaders who have criticized Saied’s decision to dissolve parliament in 2021 and assume executive control by decree, including his tightening grip over the judiciary. The opposition has described the move as a coup—an accusation Saied denies, claiming his actions are intended to rescue Tunisia from deep political dysfunction and corruption.
Since 2023, authorities have detained dozens of opposition politicians, journalists, activists, and legal professionals. Around 40 of them, including senior political and business figures, are now facing charges of plotting against state security. All the accused have denied the allegations. The third court session in the case is scheduled for Friday.
President Saied, in past remarks, labeled the detainees as “traitors and terrorists,” accusing judges who previously acquitted them of being complicit.
Among those currently imprisoned are Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Islamist Ennahda party—two of the president’s most vocal opponents.
Tunisian government officials have not yet responded to the latest HRW report or media inquiries.