Tunisian Court Hands Down Long Prison Sentences to Opposition Figures in Politically Motivated Trial
A Tunisian court has sentenced nearly 40 opposition figures to up to 45 years in prison on charges of plotting against the state, a verdict that human rights groups have widely condemned as politically motivated. The defendants, many of whom are vocal critics of President Kais Saied, were found guilty of various crimes including conspiracy against state security and belonging to a terrorist group.
The sentences, which range from five to 45 years, are a significant escalation of the original verdict handed down in April, when nearly 40 defendants were sentenced to up to 66 years in prison. The European Union's response to Saied's authoritarian crackdown has been swift, with the EU Parliament voting an overwhelming resolution calling for the release of critics like Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer who was released from prison just hours before the verdict.
Saied responded to the EU Parliament's condemnation by labeling it "blatant interference" in Tunisia's affairs. The president claimed that the European Union should learn lessons on rights and freedoms from the Tunisian people, sparking international criticism of his response to the legitimate concerns of democratic institutions abroad.
The EU Parliament resolution also called for the repeal of a law enacted by Saied in 2022, which allows for the prosecution of individuals who express opinions deemed critical of the government. The law has been widely criticized as a tool used to silence dissent and restrict freedom of expression in Tunisia.
Saied's government has made significant efforts to roll back democratic gains since his election in 2019, including staging a power grab in 2021 that has left human rights groups sounding the alarm about the erosion of freedoms.
A Tunisian court has sentenced nearly 40 opposition figures to up to 45 years in prison on charges of plotting against the state, a verdict that human rights groups have widely condemned as politically motivated. The defendants, many of whom are vocal critics of President Kais Saied, were found guilty of various crimes including conspiracy against state security and belonging to a terrorist group.
The sentences, which range from five to 45 years, are a significant escalation of the original verdict handed down in April, when nearly 40 defendants were sentenced to up to 66 years in prison. The European Union's response to Saied's authoritarian crackdown has been swift, with the EU Parliament voting an overwhelming resolution calling for the release of critics like Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer who was released from prison just hours before the verdict.
Saied responded to the EU Parliament's condemnation by labeling it "blatant interference" in Tunisia's affairs. The president claimed that the European Union should learn lessons on rights and freedoms from the Tunisian people, sparking international criticism of his response to the legitimate concerns of democratic institutions abroad.
The EU Parliament resolution also called for the repeal of a law enacted by Saied in 2022, which allows for the prosecution of individuals who express opinions deemed critical of the government. The law has been widely criticized as a tool used to silence dissent and restrict freedom of expression in Tunisia.
Saied's government has made significant efforts to roll back democratic gains since his election in 2019, including staging a power grab in 2021 that has left human rights groups sounding the alarm about the erosion of freedoms.
This verdict is super worrying for democracy in Tunisia... Like, who does this? 
President Saied's response to the EU Parliament is so passive-aggressive too, claiming they should learn from the Tunisian people about human rights 
. I mean, isn't that just a bunch of hypocrisy? 
The fact that they're silencing dissent and restricting freedom of expression is just not cool at all... I hope someone takes them to task for this 
.
Saied's govt is literally silencing dissent with that law 
and now they're handing out ridiculously long sentences to ppl who are just speaking truth to power 
like Sonia Dahmani, what even is the point of having a democracy if you can't even express opinions without fear of reprisal? 
but at the same time, I gotta be realistic here... Tunisia's got a long way to go before they can call themselves a true democracy 
The EU's all bark and no bite if you ask me - they should've taken more concrete actions like sanctions or economic aid to back up their words 
And what about the victims of Saied's regime change? They're still suffering in silence... it's time for tangible consequences, not just empty resolutions 
Not being allowed to say what you want without fear of reprisal is basically the opposite of democracy. I'm surprised more people aren't speaking out against this. Where are all these human rights groups when it really matters? 
. The fact that Saied labeled the EU Parliament's condemnation as "interference" just shows how out of touch he is with democratic values 
. This law he enacted in 2022 is straight up Orwellian - no one should be prosecuted for expressing their opinions! It's mind-boggling to think that people can lose their freedom just for speaking out against the government 
this verdict is super sus man... i mean, nearly 40 people thrown in prison for just expressing their opinions? it's like they're trying to chill the vibes of Tunisia big time 
I'm really worried about these opposition figures getting such harsh sentences... it's like they're being silenced for speaking out against the government. The EU is right to condemn this and call for their release! 
Saied's response to the EU Parliament's resolution is so over-the-top, it's like he thinks he's above the law 
tunisia needs a strong democratic system in place ASAP so people like these opposition figures can speak out without fear of persecution 
. I mean, who needs that kind of thing in a democracy? 
they're jailing ppl who r speakin out against pres kais saied 
EU parliament is all like "hey, stop this!" but pres saied is all like "nope, ima keep silencing dissent" 
. The EU should probably just send them all a care package with some popcorn and Netflix or something... I mean, it's not like they're going to change Saied's mind anytime soon