Tunisians protest against president on anniversary of his power grab

Hundreds of Tunisians took to the streets of the capital, Tunis, on Friday to protest against President Kais Saied.

The demonstrations marked four years since he moved to consolidate his one-man rule in a country once known as the birthplace of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings.

On 25 July 2021, Saied suspended parliament, dismissed his prime minister and invoked a state of emergency to begin ruling by decree.

Though some cheered his efforts, critics called the move a coup and said the events marked the beginning of Tunisia’s descent toward authoritarianism.

In Tunis on Friday, crowds chanted “No fear, no terror, power to the people”.

Banners and posters carried the faces of imprisoned opposition leaders, most notably Rached Ghannouchi, the head of Ennahda, Tunisia’s largest Islamist party.

The message was clear. What began in 2021 as a promise of reform has become, for many Tunisians, a return to repression.

"July 25 was supposed to be Republic Day, but it’s become a day of oppression. The revolution was crushed. We’ve seen one man take over all powers. Absolute power is absolute corruption," said Samir Dilo, a leading figure in the opposition National Salvation Front.

Saida Akremi, wife of jailed opposition lawyer and former justice minister, Noureddine Bhiri, called the day an “inversion of the republic” and “a betrayal of everything Tunisians stood for”.

"I am here to demand freedom for political prisoners, freedom for all detainees, lawyers, judges, and honourable citizens filling the prisons," she said.

Since 2021, Saied has dissolved key judicial bodies, dismissed judges, and overseen the jailing of numerous opponents.

Jailed political opponents, lawyers, and journalists face lengthy prison sentences under anti-terrorism and conspiracy laws.

Women led much of the chanting, demanding the release of imprisoned opposition figures from across the political spectrum, including Abir Moussi and attorney Sonia Dahmani.

"More than 15 women have been jailed. No one imagined we’d see free Tunisian women imprisoned for their opinions,” said activist Hafsia Bourguiba.

Tunisia’s political turmoil has unfolded against a backdrop of economic hardship and deepening public disillusionment.

Amnesty International in a report last June wrote that the country’s authorities have intensified their crackdown on opposition voices and used vague legal justifications to target marginalised groups.