Tunisia’s government has sentenced several prominent opposition leaders and activists to long prison terms in what critics are calling a sweeping crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied’s increasingly authoritarian rule.
On Friday, a Tunisian court handed down an 18-year prison sentence to four high-profile figures: Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek, both leading members of the opposition National Salvation Front coalition, as well as lawyer Ridha Belhaj and human rights activist Chaima Issa. The verdict was confirmed by their legal representatives, who decried the ruling as politically motivated.
Businessman and longtime political insider Kamel Eltaief, once a close confidant of late president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, received the harshest sentence of all: a staggering 66 years in prison. Eltaief was accused of playing a central role in what authorities claim was a conspiracy to undermine state security.
These individuals are part of a broader group of over 40 people—including former ministers, influential businessmen, journalists, and political figures—who have been arrested and prosecuted in recent months on charges ranging from terrorism to threatening national security.
While the Tunisian government has maintained that the charges stem from legitimate investigations into plots against the state, critics argue that the mass prosecutions are a thinly veiled attempt by President Saied to eliminate political opposition and consolidate his grip on power.
“Politically Motivated Show Trials”
Human rights organizations and opposition voices have condemned the legal proceedings as lacking transparency, with many of the accused allegedly denied fair trial standards.
“These verdicts are not about justice—they’re about silencing dissent,” said Amine Mahfoudh, a Tunisian constitutional expert and former member of the National Dialogue Quartet. “The court has become a tool of political repression under President Saied’s rule.”
Supporters of those convicted echoed similar concerns. In a statement to reporters, the legal team representing Chebbi and Ben Mbarek said their clients were prosecuted solely for their criticism of the government.
“These men are patriots, not criminals,” said defense lawyer Samir Ben Amor. “Their only ‘crime’ was standing up to a regime that no longer tolerates opposition.”
A Broader Pattern of Repression
Since assuming extraordinary powers in 2021, President Kais Saied has increasingly tightened his control over Tunisia’s political and judicial institutions. In July 2021, Saied dismissed the elected parliament, citing the need to “save the state” amid a worsening economic and health crisis. The move was widely condemned as a coup by opposition leaders and civil society groups.
In 2022, Saied ruled by decree, bypassing democratic checks and balances. A year later, he pushed through a new constitution in a low-turnout referendum that granted the presidency sweeping powers, effectively sidelining the judiciary and legislature.
Critics say the latest wave of arrests and harsh sentences fits a clear pattern of authoritarian consolidation.
“Tunisia’s democracy is being dismantled piece by piece,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “The trials of these opposition figures are a blatant attempt to criminalize peaceful political activity and silence government critics.”
Election Without Opposition
President Saied was re-elected in 2024 with little to no competition after many of his political rivals were either imprisoned or disqualified from running. Observers noted that the election lacked credibility, with voter turnout hitting historic lows and international monitors reporting irregularities.
“There was no real election,” said political analyst Rania Abdellatif. “It was a coronation. The opposition had been neutralized through legal maneuvers and outright arrests.”
Among those barred from participating in the last election was Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party, one of Tunisia’s largest political movements. Ghannouchi was detained in 2023 on charges of incitement, which his supporters say were fabricated.
The End of Tunisia’s Democratic Experiment?
Once seen as the lone success story of the Arab Spring, Tunisia is now being cited as a cautionary tale of democratic backsliding. Following the 2011 revolution that ousted Ben Ali, Tunisia embarked on a decade-long democratic transition, culminating in a new constitution and free elections.
But the promise of democracy has been eroded under Saied’s rule, with civic freedoms shrinking and political pluralism under threat.
“This is not what we fought for in 2011,” said Chaima Issa, one of those convicted on Friday, in a previous interview before her detention. “We wanted dignity, justice, and freedom. Now, we are living in fear again.”
International response to the latest convictions has so far been muted. While some Western governments have expressed concern over Tunisia’s political trajectory, few have taken concrete action, given Tunisia’s role in stemming migration flows to Europe.
Still, calls are growing for greater pressure on Saied’s administration. “Silence is complicity,” said Maher Mezghani, a Tunisian rights activist. “The international community must stand up for the values it claims to uphold—before it’s too late for Tunisia.”
Conclusion
The sentencing of key opposition figures marks a turning point in Tunisia’s post-revolution political journey. With the judiciary increasingly perceived as an arm of the executive, and dissent treated as a criminal offense, the dream of a democratic Tunisia appears more fragile than ever.
As President Saied consolidates power, the voices of the opposition—though now behind bars—continue to warn of a return to authoritarianism cloaked in the guise of legal legitimacy.
