By Le Figaro with AFP
Posted yesterday at 9:31pm, updated yesterday at 9:45pm
Former minister Lazhar Akremi was among those arrested since February. FETHI BELAID / AFP
Two leading opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied, who have been jailed for weeks, will be released, their Defense Committee said on Thursday evening.
Chaima Issa, a member of the main opposition coalition National Salvation Front, and former minister Lazhar Akremi were among a group of around 20 opponents and businessmen arrested since February in connection with an investigation into “conspiracy against state security”.
Other publications were rejected
Her defense team said in a statement that the coroner decided to “release Chaima Issa and also responded to the Defense Committee’s request for the release of Me Lazhar Akremi,” who is also a lawyer. The Defense Committee said it wanted the release of the other political opponents, but the Court of Appeals judge denied the request.
Before them, on May 24, the head of Mosaïque FM, Tunisia’s most-listened-to independent private radio station, Nouredine Boutar, was released after being detained as part of those investigations, but on condition of bail of one million dinars (about 300,000 euros). . He continues to face charges of conspiracy against state security and money laundering.
Read alsoIn Tunisia, Kaïs Saïed multiplies the turns of the screw
“Witch Hunt”
Hundreds of demonstrators and relatives of opponents and jailed figures demonstrated Thursday morning to demand their release and denounced arrests for “political reasons”. “My father foots the bill for his love for Tunisia,” said Abdelaziz, son of Issam Chebbi, 65, the leader of the FSN, who was already a staunch opponent of popularly ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, at the insurgency demonstration of 2011. According to Abdelaziz Chebbi, “Justice is under the orders of the executive branch and is not independent”.
The arrest campaign, launched since February, targeted prominent political leaders, including DSF co-founder Jaouhar Ben Mbarek and the leader of the Islamic conservative Ennahdha movement, DSF member Rached Ghannouchi. The NGO Amnesty International denounced a “politically motivated witch hunt”. “The detainees were questioned about meetings and telephone conversations with foreign diplomats, others about interviews with the media,” the NGO said. Several Tunisian and international NGOs have reported a decline in rights and freedoms in the country since the coup that took full power from Kais Saied in July 2021.