The Carter Center expressed deep concern over the arrests made by the Tunisian government of several political actors in recent weeks as well as its denial of request for peaceful protests. These actions represent a direct and increasing threat to democratic institutions in Tunisia, reads a statement of the Center on the “Democratic threats in Tunisia” on April, 4.
The Center calls on Tunisian authorities to guarantee that the rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution are respected and applied to all equally. The Center also renews its call for Tunisian leaders to engage in a broad-based, inclusive consultation to address flaws in the 2022 constitution and the decree laws issued by the current president since July 25, 2021. The newly seated parliament should actively oversee and act as a check on executive and governmental actions and help re-establish a balance of power between the three branches of government.
Those arrested since Feb. 1 include politicians, former judges and government officials, businesspeople, trade unionists, and journalists. Some of the arrests have been made on vague charges of “conspiracy against the state,” and no specific evidence for the charges has been made public. The arrests are a fundamental violation of the Tunisian peoples’ constitutional protections as well as the rights stipulated in international treaties ratified by the Tunisian government, including the right to be presumed innocent “until proven guilty in a fair trial.”
The arrests of perceived political opponents of President Kaïs Saïed follow statements by the president demonizing those who have opposed his political agenda since July 25, 2021. Due to a lack of specific evidence, the public is left with the perception that those unlawfully arrested were targeted for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed under the Constitution.
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