Prominent Tunisian opposition figure arrested at protest in capital

Police in Tunisia arrested prominent opposition figure, Chaima Issa, as she took part in a protest in the capital on Saturday.

The move comes a day after an appeals court handed jail terms of up to 45 years to a group of opposition leaders, businessmen, and lawyers.

In ruling seen as a sign of increasingly authoritarian rule by President Kais Saied, they were charged with conspiracy to overthrow him.

Moments before her arrest, Issa and two other convicted politicians called on the divided opposition to united in escalate demonstrations against Saied.

“They will arrest me shortly,” she told the crowds, urging Tunisians to continue to protest and reject tyranny.

Issa, who was given a 20-year prison sentence, has described the charges against her as unjust and politically motivated.

More arrests are expected to follow.

Human Rights Watch on Friday described the trial as a “travesty of justice”.

During a sweeping power grab in July 2021, Saied suspended parliament and expanded executive power so he could rule by decree.

Since then, he has jailed many of his critics. Saied says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption.