Tunisia faces ‘pervading injustice’ amid opposition crackdown

Tunisia is confronting what international rights groups call a “pervading injustice,” as President Kais Saied’s government intensifies a sweeping crackdown on dissent, jailing opposition leaders, crippling civil society, and dismantling the democratic gains that once made the North African nation a beacon of hope after the Arab Spring.

In a coordinated outcry, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International issued separate statements condemning an unprecedented assault on civil liberties. They detailed a pattern of arbitrary arrests, politicized mass trials, and the systematic targeting of non-governmental organizations through asset freezes and legal restrictions.

“Tunisian authorities have increasingly escalated their crackdown on human rights defenders and independent non-governmental organizations,” Amnesty stated, describing the situation as an alarming reversal. The groups urged Tunisia’s international partners to break their silence and demand an end to the repression.

This crisis marks a stark departure from Tunisia’s recent history. In 2011, it ignited the Arab Spring by overthrowing longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, ushering in a fragile but celebrated democracy. Saied, elected in 2019 as an anti-corruption outsider, has systematically dismantled that system. In 2021, he suspended parliament and began ruling by decree, later pushing through a new constitution that consolidated vast powers in his office.

The legal tools for the crackdown, rights groups say, are a series of repressive decrees, including a 2022 law against “fake news” used to prosecute journalists and critics.

‘A Masquerade’ of Justice

At the heart of the current showdown is a politically charged “Conspiracy Case” targeting over 30 opposition figures, lawyers, and activists. In a mass trial last April that was widely condemned, they were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 66 years on charges of plotting against state security.

“The entire case has been a masquerade, from baseless accusations to a judicial process devoid of fair trial guarantees,” said Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW. The group, after reviewing court documents, said it found no credible evidence for the allegations.

All eyes are now on a November 17 hearing at the Tunis Court of Appeal, which is set to review the convictions. The defendants include prominent leaders from across the political spectrum, and their treatment has become a rallying cry for the beleaguered opposition.

Desperation and Hunger Strikes

With legal avenues appearing closed, several high-profile detainees have turned to desperate measures.

Jawhar Ben Mbarek, a co-founder of the National Salvation Front opposition alliance and a sentenced detainee, began a hunger strike on October 29 to protest his imprisonment. Issam Chebbi, leader of the centrist Republican Party, has joined the protest.

In a move that sent shockwaves through the nation, Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old head of the Ennahdha party and a central figure in post-revolution Tunisian politics, also announced a hunger strike. Ghannouchi is serving a combined sentence of over 20 years on multiple convictions, including conspiracy and money laundering, charges he and his supporters reject as politically motivated.

Their protests highlight a deepening crisis. Lawyers for the detainees reported that one of the hunger-striking prisoners was subjected to physical violence by guards on November 11, raising further alarm about their treatment.

Squeezing Civil Society

Parallel to the judicial offensive against politicians, the government has moved to stifle independent civil society. Amnesty reported that in the last four months alone, at least 14 local and international NGOs have had their activities temporarily suspended by judicial order.

Among the targeted groups are the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and the World Organisation against Torture. Authorities have justified the crackdown by citing investigations into “suspicious” foreign funding, a claim rights groups dismiss as a pretext to silence criticism.

One prominent case involves six staff members from the Tunisian Council for Refugees, who face criminal charges related to their humanitarian work with refugees and asylum seekers. Their trial, initially set for October 16, was postponed to November 24. Amnesty has called the prosecutions baseless and demanded they be dropped.

International Silence and a Precarious Future

Tunisia’s economic plight, marked by high inflation and unemployment, has made it reliant on financial aid from international partners like the European Union and the United States. Critics argue this financial support has come with too little public criticism of the government’s human rights record.

“Tunisia’s international partners should speak up against this flagrant injustice and assault on the rule of law,” urged Khawaja of HRW. He called for sustained pressure on Tunisian authorities to release detainees and restore constitutional order.

Supporters of President Kais Saied argue his actions are necessary to combat corruption and political chaos they say plagued the previous parliamentary system. However, for the growing opposition and international observers, the methods—mass trials, suppression of free speech, and the jailing of rivals—increasingly resemble the repressive tactics of the pre-revolution era.

As appeals are heard and hunger strikes continue, the “pervading injustice” risks not only erasing a decade of democratic progress but also fueling further instability in a nation already grappling with profound economic challenges.