Three prominent opponents of Tunisian president under investigation

• Tunisian President Kais Saied has warned of legal action.
• He dissolved parliament and gained control of the executive branch in July 2021.
• Nejib Chebbi with two others is the activist under investigation.

On Monday, three prominent opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied announced that they had received warnings from prosecutors indicating they were under investigation, including for violating public security and insulting the president.

Before a few days, Saied had cautioned that legal action must be taken against people who defame “symbols of the state,” as he viewed this as a threat to state security.

Nejib Chebbi, Reda Belhaj, and Ayachi Hammami are the activists. Chebbi is the leader of the opposition Salvation Front and has organized protests against Saied on a regular basis for several months.

The justice ministry was unavailable for immediate comment.

Saied gained control of the executive branch in July 2021 and subsequently dissolved parliament, a move his opponents characterized as a coup. Opponents of Saied accuse him of instituting a dictatorship and bolstering one-man rule.

The influential UGTT Union has also slammed the president, declaring that it rejects his dictatorial style and will not remain mute.

Hammami stated that at the request of the justice minister, a judge started an investigation into allegations of spreading rumors and insulting the president. Last Monday, Hammami accused the government of inventing terrorism charges against judges fired by Saied last year.

Because the lawsuit is politically motivated, Chebbi stated that he will not reply to it.

“It is a farce … it is fabricated political file,” Chebbi said.

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