In a significant political development, relatives of incarcerated dissidents across Tunisia’s ideological spectrum have established a unified front demanding the release of political prisoners detained under President Kais Saied’s administration. The newly formed National Coordination for the Liberation of Political Prisoners represents an unprecedented consolidation of opposition forces that previously struggled to overcome internal divisions.\n\nThe coalition’s public announcement on January 14th carried profound symbolic weight, coinciding with the fifteenth anniversary of the revolution that ousted autocrat Zine el Abidine Ben Ali and ignited the Arab Spring movement. Organizers emphasized the continued relevance of revolutionary ideals, stating the date reflects how \”the Revolution is still present in our hearts, in our minds, and in our collective consciousness.\”\n\nProminent lawyer and activist Sana Ben Achour articulated the strategic imperative behind the coordination effort: \”Whether the detainees are left-wing or right-wing, secular or Islamist, injustice inflicts the same suffering.\” She stressed the necessity of synchronized field operations to enhance effectiveness in securing prisoner releases.\n\nSince President Saied’s 2021 power consolidation, which granted him extensive authority, Tunisia has witnessed a systematic crackdown on dissent. Numerous opposition figures, legal professionals, activists, humanitarian workers, and journalists have faced severe prison sentences through proceedings widely criticized by international human rights organizations as politically motivated.\n\nThe legal apparatus employed against dissidents includes broad interpretations of the 2015 counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering legislation, Decree 54 targeting so-called \”fake news,\” and the 2004 law on foreigners and passports—all weaponized to criminalize humanitarian assistance and suppress free expression.\n\nNotable cases include left-wing activist Ayachi Hammami, currently enduring a 43-day hunger strike following his December conviction for \”conspiracy against the state.\” Amnesty International has condemned these prosecutions as \”often based on flimsy or unsubstantiated evidence,\\” warning of the systematic erosion of revolutionary achievements.\n\nThe coalition’s formation marks a pivotal moment in Tunisia’s political landscape, bringing together diverse entities including the National Salvation Front (associated with the pre-coup Ennahda government), the Free Destourian Party, and the Tunisian Network for Rights and Freedoms. Their collective mission encompasses amplifying prisoners’ voices, providing familial support, raising public awareness, and countering state narratives that portray activism as threatening national security.\n\nOrganizers concluded with a defiant message: \”Rescuing vulnerable people, defending rights, expressing an opinion are not crimes,\” assuring detainees that the current injustice \”will not last.\”
Tunisia: Families of political detainees form collective to unite opposition to Saied
