At least 80 members of Tunisia’s largest opposition party, Ennahdha, have been arrested, according to party officials, as thousands protested against President Kais Saied ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
As the election campaign officially begins in September, opposition parties, politicians, and human rights groups are accusing Saied’s administration of using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to secure his re-election in the October 6 vote.
Ennahdha, which was the largest party in parliament before Saied dissolved it in July 2021, reported at least 80 arrests and was verifying a total of at least 116, including six women, according to the party’s lawyer Latifa Habbechi.
Yusra Ghannouchi, daughter of detained Ennahdha leader and co-founder Rached Ghannouchi, stated on the social media platform X that over 100 party members had been arrested, including a 70-year-old activist.In a statement, Ennahdha condemned the arrests as “an unprecedented campaign of raids and violations of basic legal rights.”
Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Ahmed Gaaloul, a member of the party’s executive committee, said high-ranking party officials were among those arrested.
Earlier in September, police detained prominent opposition politician Ayachi Zammel, who was one of only two challengers to Saied in the election.
Zammel faces accusations of falsifying voter signatures on his paperwork, though his lawyers argue the case is aimed at disqualifying him from the race.
