Tunisia’s Ennahda Movement demands release of political detainees

TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisia’s Ennahda Movement urged authorities Saturday to release all political detainees.

It followed the arrest of journalist Ziad Al-Hani, against the backdrop of his statements on a radio program where he criticized Commerce Minister Kalthoum Ben Rejeb.

Ennahda Movement expressed solidarity with jAl-Hani in a statement “after the Public Prosecutor at the Tunisian Court of First Instance sentenced him to be detained after he expressed his opinion on the behavior of some administrative departments and commented on the performance of government officials.”

The group condemned the arrest and deemed it "unjustified," and said "freedom of the press and expression should not be compromised."

The Movement demanded "the release of Al-Hani and all other political detainees.”

Ennahda denounced “the authorities” efforts to silence free and oppositional voices, including journalists, bloggers and influencers.”

Security authorities arrested Al-Hani Thursday on charges of “insulting the Minister of Commerce,” according to the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate.

On a program on private IFM radio, Al-Hani criticized Rejeb for the “bureaucracy that obstructs development projects,” and demanded she step down.

Authorities have arrested more than 20 prominent political figures in 2023.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis that aggravated the country's economic conditions since President Kais Saied ousted the government and dissolved parliament in 2021.

While Saied insists that his measures were meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​