The Ennahda party called the mass arrests an “unprecedented campaign of attacks and violations” ahead of the October 6 elections.
At least 80 members of Tunisia’s main opposition Ennahda party have been arrested, party officials said, as thousands took to the streets to protest against President Kais Saied ahead of presidential elections.
With campaigning officially beginning on Saturday, opposition parties, politicians and human rights groups have accused Saied’s government of using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to ensure his reelection in the October 6 polls.
The Ennahda party, which was the largest party in parliament until Saied dissolved it in July 2021, has counted at least 80 arrests and is confirming at least 116 arrests in total, including six women, the party’s lawyer, Latifa Habbechi, said on Friday.
Yusra Ghannouchi, the daughter of detained Ennahda party leader and co-founder Rachid Ghannouchi, said in a post on social media platform X that more than 100 party members had been arrested, including an activist in his 70s.
In a statement, the Ennahda party called the arrests “an unprecedented raid and a violation of the most fundamental rights guaranteed by law.”
Ahmed Gaaloo, a member of the party’s executive committee and former minister of youth and sports, said those arrested included senior party officials.
In Tunisia, President Saied rules with a weak parliament elected by just 11 percent of voters, and the arrests are a new blemish on an already tumultuous election season.
Earlier this month, police arrested Ayachi Zamer, a prominent opposition politician who was identified as one of only two candidates running against Saied in the election.
Zamel is accused of forging voter signatures on documents, but his lawyers say the lawsuit is an attempt to throw him out of the election.
In August, the Election Commission barred three leading candidates from the election due to irregularities in their candidacy applications.
A court dealing with the election dispute ordered the commission to be reinstated on September 2, but the commission rejected the ruling.
Critics say Saied is using a committee he appointed to intimidate candidates to ensure his own victory — accusations he denies and says he is fighting traitors, mercenaries and the corrupt.
The latest arrests on Friday came as thousands of people protested in the capital, Tunis, denouncing the emergence of a police state.
Protesters shouted slogans such as “Remove dictator Saied” and “No fear, no terror, the city belongs to the people.”
Protesters also demanded the release of Zamer and all political prisoners, activists and journalists detained for criticizing Saied.
