TUNIS, Tunisia — Police arrested prominent opposition figure Chaima Issa on Saturday as she joined a protest in the capital, just a day after an appeals court handed down jail terms of up to 45 years to opposition leaders, businessmen, and lawyers.
The ruling, widely seen as a sign of increasingly authoritarian rule under President Kais Saied, charged the group with conspiracy to overthrow him.
Arrest at Protest
Moments before her arrest, Issa — who herself received a 20-year prison sentence — told crowds: “They will arrest me shortly,” urging Tunisians to continue resisting what she called tyranny. She described the charges against her as unjust and politically motivated.
Human Rights Concerns
Human Rights Watch condemned the trial as a “travesty of justice.” More arrests are expected to follow as Saied’s government intensifies its crackdown on dissent.
Background
Saied has consolidated power since his July 2021 move to suspend parliament and expand executive authority, ruling by decree. He argues his actions are legal and necessary to end years of chaos and corruption, but critics say they mark a sharp turn toward authoritarianism.