Blitz Bureau
TUNIS: A trial of 40 prominent opposition figures, including politicians, lawyers, media personalities, and business leaders accused of conspiring against state security began in Tunisia, a report published by africanews.com said.
Proceedings at the Tunis Primary Court began with nine detained defendants absent, as the judges opted for remote sessions. It’s a move defence lawyers and activists decried as a breach of fair trial standards. Only those released on bail attended in person, while families of the detained and protesters outside the courthouse demanded transparency and the physical presence of all accused.
Security was tightened around the courthouse as lawyers, politicians, and journalists packed the courtroom. Outside, tensions flared as protesters chanted, “Freedom, Freedom and No to Judiciary by Instructions.” Lamia Farhani, Member of the Defence Committee for the Detainees: “The greatest irony is that at the helm of power sits a President, a constitutional law expert, who casually violates the very laws he swore to uphold. This hypocrisy will ultimately vindicate the detainees.”
The trial has deepened divisions in Tunisia. Among the protesters was Ahlem, a citizen who told the Associated Press: “I came to stand with those detained for their opinions, those kidnapped and held beyond legal procedures and timelines. We reject this farce of a trial that bars the accused from facing their judges directly to defend themselves.”
But not all Tunisians oppose the crackdown. Mohamed, a fish vendor in Tunis, blamed the defendants for the country’s economic collapse: “I hope they get life sentences. They ruined us. Twenty dinars used to fill our baskets; now 100 dinars aren’t enough. Half the nation is jobless. They lied, stole, and fled.” His remarks underscored the economic despair fuelling support for Saied’s anti-corruption drive among some working-class citizens.
The controversy surrounding the trial extends beyond Tunisia’s borders. International human rights organisations have condemned the mass prosecution, arguing that it is part of a broader pattern of repression targeting dissenting voices. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both released statements criticising the Government’s use of security laws to silence political opponents.
