A Tunisian court imprisons a well-known president critic

Renowned Tunisian attorney Sonia Dahmani, who gained notoriety for her disapproval of President Kais Saied, was given a one-year prison sentence, her attorney announced on Saturday.

The court decision confirms opposition fears that critical speakers will be singled out in the run-up to the October 6 presidential election.

According to Dahmani’s attorney Sami Ben Ghazi, “the one-year prison sentence is unjust and confirms the targeting of free speech,” as reported by Reuters.

Following her appearance on a television program in which she claimed that life in Tunisia is not enjoyable, Dahmani was taken into custody in May.

The government of Saied has been accused by opposition parties, many of whose leaders are incarcerated, of pressuring the courts to target his competitors in the next election.

They contend that the release of jailed politicians and the freedom of the media to function without interference from the government are prerequisites for holding fair and legitimate elections.

The head of the opposition Republican Union Party, Lotfi Mraihi, who declared his desire to run for president, was taken into custody on suspicion of money laundering on Wednesday.

Prominent candidate and Free Constitutional Party leader Abir Moussi has been imprisoned since October 2023 on allegations that he jeopardized public safety.

Safi Saeed, Mondher Znaidi, Nizar Chaari, and Abd Ellatif Mekki are among the prospective candidates who are being prosecuted for alleged offenses like money laundering and fraud.

Head of the main opposition group Ennahda and a vocal opponent of Saied, Rached Ghannouchi, was imprisoned last year on allegations of inciting violence against police and scheming against state security.

Saied, a retired law professor who won the presidency in 2019, has not yet made a public announcement that he intends to run for office again. He declared last year he would not cede power to those he referred to as non-patriots.

The opposition referred to Saied’s dissolution of the parliament and transition to executive order in 2021 as a coup. According to Saied, putting a stop to years of widespread corruption within the political elite required judicial action.