TUNIS, Tunisia — A major trial commenced in Tunisia on Tuesday, drawing significant public attention and controversy. The proceedings involve 40 individuals, among them prominent opposition figures, who face charges of conspiring against state security. Outside the courthouse, activists held protests, decrying the trial as unfounded and alleging it is part of a broader political clampdown.
The court ruled that nine of the accused were too dangerous to be allowed to attend the trial in person, a decision met with demands from their legal representatives who insisted on the right of their clients to appear before the judge. Protesters echoed this demand, gathering outside the courtroom.
The defendants span a broad spectrum, including opposition politicians, former diplomats, business leaders, journalists, lawyers, and human rights advocates. Some have been in pre-trial detention for over two years, while others have escaped the country.
The charges are severe, with some defendants facing potential capital punishment. They include accusations of plotting against state security and, for certain individuals, affiliation with a terrorist organization. Additionally, some are suspected of unauthorized dealings with foreign entities and diplomats.
Opponents of President Kais Saied argue that the accusations are baseless and the trial is politically motivated. In contrast, President Saied, who secured re-election last year, categorizes the defendants as “traitors and terrorists,” juxtaposing their charges against allegations that they accuse him of orchestrating a coup in 2021.
Tunisia, which was celebrated as the origin of the Arab Spring and its wave of pro-democracy movements, has seen a significant decline in freedoms under Saied’s leadership. Observers, including the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, assert that Saied’s administration is leveraging the judiciary as a tool to suppress opposition since his controversial consolidation of power in 2021, which saw the dissolution of the parliament and an increase in executive authority.
Supporters of Saied argue that his stringent measures are essential to stabilize Tunisia, a nation battling inflation, unemployment, and widespread corruption. Many citizens attribute the nation’s economic struggles to the failings of the political elite.
International rights organizations have denounced the trial, particularly criticizing the treatment of the defendants. “The documented systematic violations of their rights during the pre-trial phase of the criminal proceedings significantly undermine the whole prosecution and the legitimacy, independence and impartiality? of the trial, stated the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in an official communication.
