Protests erupt in Tunisia over arrest of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab
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Several political parties have rejected the mass sentencing and the arrest of Souab, describing them as retaliatory acts meant to suppress dissent and consolidate executive control.
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People take part in a protest against President Kais Saied's policies, in Tunis, Tunisia, Sunday, March 5, 2023 (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi, File)
Protesters gathered in central Tunis on Monday to denounce the arrest of prominent lawyer and former judge Ahmed Souab, a move widely seen as part of Tunisia's broader crackdown on dissent. The demonstrations, held on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, featured chants against President Kais Saied and calls to halt the ongoing harassment of opposition voices.
Souab was arrested earlier that day under Tunisia's anti-terrorism laws, shortly after sharply criticizing the recent sentencing of 37 opposition figures in a mass trial. He had publicly denounced the proceedings, known as the "conspiracy against state security" case, as a "farce," declaring that "the judiciary has been completely destroyed."
،🔴🖍️هتافات التونسيين ضد اعتقال المحامي والقاضي السابق أحمد صواب والمطالبة بتحرير نساء تونس المعتقلين pic.twitter.com/iAWKAzv2EB
— علي بن غذاهم (@RevoltAli) April 21, 2025
Authorities claim Souab's arrest is linked to a video deemed threatening to members of the judiciary. According to a spokesperson from Tunisia's terrorism court, the video forms the basis of a "terrorism-related case." Two of Souab's fellow lawyers confirmed that he is being held in pre-charge detention.
Souab had been among the legal representatives of several defendants in the case that resulted in lengthy prison terms for opposition leaders, lawyers, and public figures. The trial and convictions have drawn strong criticism from rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which labeled the proceedings as lacking due process and politically motivated.
In response to Souab's arrest, demonstrators marched peacefully through Tunis's main avenue, long associated with political mobilization, calling for his release and denouncing what they described as a deepening authoritarian trend under President Saied.
Read more: Tunisia opposition figures get prison terms after mass trial
Several political parties have rejected the mass sentencing and the arrest of Souab, describing them as retaliatory acts meant to suppress dissent and consolidate executive control.
The protests reflect growing concern over the use of anti-terror laws to target critics of the government and the erosion of judicial independence in Tunisia since Saied's 2021 power grab, when he suspended parliament and began ruling by decree. Rights groups have warned that the arrest of legal professionals such as Souab signals an alarming escalation in the country's repression of opposition voices.
