Tunisia Accused of Widespread Arbitrary Detentions in Crackdown on Dissent

Tunis, 16 April 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Tunisian authorities have been accused of systematically employing arbitrary detention and politically motivated prosecutions in a sweeping campaign to stifle dissent, according to a new report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday.

The report highlights what HRW describes as an “intensified pattern of repression” in the North African country, where over 50 individuals were reportedly imprisoned as of January 2025 for expressing political opinions or exercising basic rights. Among them are critics of the government, activists, lawyers, and journalists – several of whom are facing serious charges, including terrorism.

The organisation warns that at least 14 of these detainees could face the death penalty if convicted.

The allegations surface amid an ongoing high-profile trial involving around 40 defendants, many of whom have been outspoken critics of President Kais Saied. The group faces charges ranging from plotting against state security to incitement and conspiracy. A number of those on trial were arrested in February 2023, after President Saied publicly branded them “terrorists.”

President Saied, who was elected in 2019 in a wave of popular support following Tunisia’s democratic strides after the 2011 Arab Spring, has come under increasing scrutiny since his dramatic power consolidation in 2021. That year, he suspended parliament, dismissed the prime minister, and began ruling by decree — moves widely viewed as a return to authoritarian governance.

Since then, domestic and international rights groups have sounded the alarm over a serious erosion of democratic institutions and civil liberties in Tunisia, once hailed as the sole success story of the Arab Spring.

“Not since the 2011 revolution have Tunisian authorities unleashed such repression,” said Bassam Khawaja, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at HRW. “President Saied’s government has returned the country to an era of political prisoners.”

The United Nations has also voiced its concerns, calling on Tunisian authorities to halt the pattern of arrests and arbitrary detentions. A recent UN statement urged the government to immediately release dozens of human rights defenders, political opponents, journalists, and members of civil society currently held in detention.

Observers warn that the crackdown is likely to further isolate Tunisia on the global stage and deepen public disillusionment at home, where economic difficulties and political uncertainty have already taken a toll. Tunisia, once a beacon of democratic promise in the region, now finds itself at a critical crossroads — facing mounting pressure to restore the rule of law and respect fundamental freedoms.