Kais Saied - The African Mirror

Sep

2023

Tunisia detains cartoonist over drawings mocking prime minister

TUNISIA'S public prosecutor detained the cartoonist Tawfiq Omrane over drawings mocking the prime minister, Omrane's lawyer said, fuelling concern among free speech advocates. Omrane is well known for publishing satirical cartoons featuring President Kais Saied, who seized almost all powers two years ago after he shut down Tunisia's elected parliament in a move that the opposition described as a coup. "The police interrogated him (Omrane) for hours without the presence of lawyers on suspicion of insulting through social networks ... over cartoons mocking the prime minister," his lawyer, Anas Kadoussi, told Reuters. Kadoussi said the cartoonist could face one year…

Jul

2023

By TAREK AMARA

Tunisia says undocumented migrants in the country received $1 billion this year

NEWS

UNDOCUMENTED sub-Saharan African migrants in Tunisia received three billion dinars (about $1 billion) in remittances from their countries during the first half of 2023, an official from the national security council said in a meeting late on Friday. President Kais Saied, who chaired the meeting, said, "This figure is shocking and indicates that Tunisia is being targeted." Saied denounced this year's undocumented sub-Saharan African immigration to his country, saying in comments criticised by rights groups that it was aimed at changing Tunisia's demographic makeup. The amount of the announced transfers for undocumented migrants is higher than revenues of the vital tourism…

Jul

2023

By TAREK AMARA

Tunisian judge frees two leading opponents of president

NEWS

A Tunisian judge freed two prominent political opponents of President Kais Saied, nearly five months after they were arrested on suspicion of plotting against state security, their lawyer Monia Bouali told Reuters. Chaima Issa and Lazahr Akremi were detained in February along with 20 other political leaders in a crackdown the opposition says aimed to establish authoritarian rule by Saied, who in 2021 dissolved parliament and seized wide-ranging powers. Issa is a leader in the Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition to Saied which has organised protests against him over the past two years. Akremi, a lawyer who served as a minister…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Prosecutors block release of Tunisian opposition figure Chaima Issa

NEWS

TUNISIA'S public prosecutor appealed against a judge's decision to free Chaima Issa, a prominent opponent of President Kais Saied, following her arrest in February, her lawyer said. Issa will now not leave prison on Friday, lawyer Dalila Mbarek told Reuters. A decision will be taken to release her or keep her in prison within days, lawyers said. Issa had been accused of plotting against state security. Issa is a prominent leader in the Salvation Front, which is the main opposition coalition to Saied, organising protests against him since he seized additional powers in 2021 and shut down the elected parliament.…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

UN rights chief urges Tunisian leader to stop curbing media freedoms

MEDIA FREEDOM

UNITED Nations human rights chief Volker Turk called on Tunisia to stop restricting media freedoms and said it was criminalizing independent journalism since President Kais Saied seized wide powers in 2021. Freedom of speech and media were key gains for Tunisians after the 2011 revolution that ousted autocratic President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and triggered the Arab Spring protests. But activists and journalists say freedom of speech faces a serious threat under Saied's rule. "The crackdown earlier this year against judges, politicians, labour leaders, businesspeople and civil society actors has now spread to target independent journalists, who are increasingly…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisia frees prominent journalist after two days detention

NEWS

A TUNISIAN judge ordered the release of prominent journalist Zied Heni two days after he was arrested over accusations he had insulted President Kais Saied. His release followed a campaign of solidarity with him and criticism that the authorities were clamping down on freedom of speech, a key gain won by Tunisians after the 2011 revolution that ended the authoritarian rule of the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Saied seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree and then assumed authority over the judiciary. "What happened was a…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisian judge bars broadcast media from opposition conspiracy cases

NEWS

A Tunisian judge has barred radio and television news programmes from covering the cases of prominent opposition figures accused of conspiring against state security in recent months, the official news agency TAP said. The order fuels concerns over rights in Tunisia since President Kais Saied seized extra powers in 2021, moving to rule by decree and then assuming authority over the judiciary. "The investigating judge of office 36 of the anti-terrorism branch issues a decision banning media coverage of the two cases of conspiring against state security," the court's spokesperson Hanan el-Qadas told TAP. TAP later quoted Qadas as saying the order only concerned…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisia: President wants to tax the rich

NEWS

TUNISIAN President Kais Saied suggested raising taxes on richer people could be an alternative to socially painful reforms as a means to secure an international financial rescue package. Tunisia's government negotiated a preliminary agreement in October with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $1.9 billion loan in return for cuts to subsidies and the public sector wage bill and reform of state-owned companies. Credit ratings agencies have warned that Tunisia faces a possible default on sovereign debt without the loan, which is also expected to unlock more bilateral financing. The IMF has said Tunisia needs to put its finances…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisia: Judge starts new probe into politicians

NEWS

A Tunisian judge has opened a new investigation into political figures including major opponents of President Kais Saied on suspicion of conspiring against state security, a lawyer for one of them said. The case comes after a wave of arrests of opposition figures over recent months that Saied's critics have attacked as a political clampdown, which he denies, and may spur fears of more detentions. The 20 people accused in the new case include the main opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, who is already in prison, former prime minister Youssef Chahed and Saied's former chief of staff Nadia Akacha, said the lawyer, Nadia…

May

2023

By TAREK AMARA

Tunisia police to investigate two top journalists, radio station says

NEWS

TUNISIA'S most popular independent radio station said two of its top broadcasters, critics of President Kais Saied, have been summoned by police for questioning, amid fears of an escalating government campaign against the media. Radio Mosaique said its broadcasters Haythem El Mekki and Elyess Gharbi were going to be questioned by police on Friday in an investigation linked to journalistic content. Police and Interior Ministry spokespeople were not immediately available to comment on the report. El Mekki, who presents a daily show on Radio Mosaique criticising Saied's policies, this week raised concerns about the country's methods of recruiting police after…