Tunisia’s Opposition Party Ennahda Faces Widespread Arrests Ahead of Presidential Elections

Tunisia’s Opposition Party Faces Unprecedented Crackdown Ahead of Presidential Elections

In a troubling development for Tunisia’s political landscape, dozens of members from the country’s largest opposition party, Ennahda, were arrested this week as the official campaign season for the presidential election is set to commence. Lawyers and party officials reported on Friday that the arrests were part of a sweeping operation across the nation, with Ennahda claiming that at least 80 individuals, including both men and women, were apprehended from various regions.

For several weeks now, democracy and human rights advocates have been urging the European Union (EU) to exert more pressure on the Tunisian government, expressing concerns that the upcoming election may not be free or fair. However, the EU’s strategy appears to be primarily focused on curbing migration. Tunisia serves as a critical transit point for migrants hailing from countries such as Syria, Bangladesh, and sub-Saharan African nations, all seeking to reach Europe.

Analysts and activists fear that the EU might turn a blind eye to the deteriorating democratic conditions in Tunisia in its quest to stem the flow of migrants. The EU-Tunisia Migration Agreement, which has been negotiated with President Kais Saied’s administration, aims to reduce the number of migrants attempting perilous Mediterranean crossings by boat. In exchange, Tunisia receives substantial financial aid amounting to hundreds of millions of euros.

Nation-wide Crackdown on the Islamic Ennahda Opposition Party

In a statement released on Friday, Ennahda condemned the arrests as “an unprecedented campaign of raids and violations of fundamental rights guaranteed by law.” The party’s local branches reported a tally of at least 80 arrests, with ongoing efforts to confirm the total number, which may reach 116, including six women, according to lawyer Latifa Habbechi.

Among the detained were notable figures such as former Minister of Youth and Sports Ahmed Gaaloul, who is a member of the party’s executive committee and an advisor to the imprisoned party leader, Rached Ghannouchi. High-ranking officials including Mohamed Guelwi, also a member of the executive committee, and Mohamed Ali Boukhatim, a regional leader from Ben Arous, a suburb of Tunis, were reported to have been arrested as well.

The mass detentions come amid an already tumultuous election period in Tunisia. With political apathy widespread and many prominent opposition figures imprisoned, President Kais Saied is anticipated to secure a second term without facing significant opposition. Nonetheless, recent months have witnessed considerable upheaval. Saied has dismissed a majority of his cabinet, and authorities have continued to arrest potential opponents. The country’s election authority, composed of members appointed by Saied, has defied court orders by excluding certain challengers from the October 6 ballot.

These actions follow months of escalating arrests targeting journalists, lawyers, and influential civil society figures, many of whom have been charged under a controversial anti-fake news law, which human rights organizations assert is increasingly wielded to suppress dissent. A human rights advocate remarked that the arrest of Sihem Bensedrine, the president of the national truth commission, highlights the ongoing “democratic backslide” in Tunisia.

The majority of those arrested were senior members of the party involved in Tunisia’s transitional justice initiatives, which include Ennahda members who suffered torture during the regime of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the first Arab dictator to be overthrown during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Lawyer Latifa Habbechi noted that approximately 90% of those detained had previously been incarcerated under Ben Ali and former president Habib Bourguiba, with 70% being over the age of 60. She emphasized that the names of the arrested individuals corresponded with party documents listing victims of dictatorship involved in the transitional justice process.

Tunisia’s internationally recognized transitional justice framework is a decade-long endeavor aimed at providing support to victims of governmental abuses. The recent arrests coincided with protests in the capital Tunis, where hundreds of citizens rallied against what they described as the emergence of a police state in the lead-up to the October 6 election. These actions have drawn condemnation from various political parties.

In a statement on Friday, the political party Work and Accomplishment, led by former Ennahda member Abdellatif Mekki, commented, “These arrests signal a further narrowing and distortion of the electoral process, intended to instill fear and strip the upcoming election of any genuine opportunity for democratic competition.” Mekki, who served as Tunisia’s Health Minister from 2011 to 2014, was himself arrested in July during an investigation into a 2014 murder, which his legal team claims is politically motivated. Tunisia’s election authority has declared its intention to ignore an administrative court ruling and exclude him from next month’s ballot.