Tunisian lawmaker Ahmed Saidani was detained on Feb. 4 after publicly mocking President Kais Saied in a Facebook post. Observers say the arrest appears to be part of a widening crackdown on critics since Saied concentrated power and began ruling by decree in 2021. Human rights groups warn that political freedoms have been eroded, while Saied rejects claims of authoritarianism and says he is enforcing the law.
Tunisian MP Ahmed Saidani Detained After Mocking President; Critics Say Crackdown Is Widening
Tunisia's President Kais Saied attends his swearing-in ceremony for his second term at the parliament in Tunis, Tunisia October 21, 2024. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
TUNIS, Feb 4 (Reuters) — Tunisian police detained lawmaker Ahmed Saidani on Feb. 4, two colleagues told Reuters, in what observers and opponents describe as part of an intensifying crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied.
Saidani has recently become prominent for outspoken criticism of Saied. In a Facebook post on Tuesday he ridiculed the president as the 'supreme commander of sewage and rainwater drainage,' accusing him of having no meaningful achievements.
'The president not only claims to have solutions for Tunisia but even suggests he has global approaches capable of saving humanity,'
Saidani won a parliamentary seat at the end of 2022 in an election marked by very low voter turnout, held after Saied dissolved the previous parliament and dismissed the government in 2021. Since then Saied has governed largely by decree — a move the opposition describes as a coup.
Context And Concerns
Many opposition leaders, several journalists and other critics have been detained since Saied consolidated powers in 2021. Activists and human rights organisations say the president has cemented one‑man rule and effectively turned Tunisia into an 'open‑air prison' to silence dissent. Saied rejects accusations of authoritarianism, saying he is enforcing the law and seeking to 'cleanse' the country.
Once a supporter of Saied's actions against political rivals, Saidani has in recent months become a vocal critic, accusing the president of monopolising decision‑making while evading responsibility and leaving others to shoulder the blame for national problems. Last week Saidani also mocked Saied for 'taking up the hobby of taking photos with the poor and destitute,' a swipe at the president's public outreach.
Legal Note
Under Tunisian law, lawmakers enjoy parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested for acts carried out in the course of their duties, although detention is permitted if they are caught committing a crime. The circumstances of Saidani's detention and any formal charges have not been fully detailed publicly.
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; editing by Mark Heinrich and Bill Berkrot)
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