Tunisia judge imprisons politicians, businessman amid crackdown

A Tunisian “anti-terrorism” investigative judge has imprisoned two prominent politicians and a high-profile businessman, their defence team has said.

Lawyers for Abdelhamid Jlassi and Khayam al-Turki, both critics of President Kais Saied, and businessman Kamel Ltaif said the judge made the decision on Saturday.

They added that the defence team for the three said it had boycotted a plea hearing because the conditions for a fair trial had not been met.

All three were arrested amid a security crackdown that has seen a series of raids and arrests of opposition politicians, activists, protest organisers, a media figure, judges and an influential business leader.

The 12 people arrested as of Saturday include Chaima Aissa and Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, leaders of the National Salvation Front opposition coalition, as well as Issam Chebbi, the head of the opposition Jomhouri (Republican) Party.

All those arrested were connected to criticism of Saied or efforts to mobilise protests against the president, who in 2021 shut down parliament, dismissed the government and moved to rule by decree before rewriting the constitution.

Last week, Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the opposition Ennahdha party and speaker of an elected parliament that Saied formally dissolved last year, was also summoned for questioning.

Opponents have called the consolidation of power a coup that pulled apart the democracy built after a 2011 revolution that made the country the birthplace of the Arab Spring.