Tunisians rally against 'repression' ahead of vote

Hundreds of Tunisians rallied in Tunis on Friday, protesting against what they describe as increasing repression ahead of Sunday’s presidential election, according to AFP. The incumbent Kais Saied is widely expected to win the poll. Since Saied's power grab in 2021, which included dissolving parliament and rewriting the constitution, critics and political opponents have been jailed, including a candidate for Sunday’s election.

Protesters, marching through a heavily policed Habib Bourguiba Avenue, condemned Saied’s rule, calling him a "Pharaoh" manipulating the law. "These elections are illegitimate," said Leila Chebbi, an actor at the protest. 

Bassem Trifi, head of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, emphasized that the protest was a defense of freedoms won during the 2011 revolution. Human Rights Watch recently reported that over 170 people are detained in Tunisia for political reasons. Among Saied’s opponents are former lawmaker Zouhair Maghzaoui, asupporter of Saied's power grab, and Ayachi Zammel, a little-known businessman who has been jailed on accusations of falsifying election endorsement signatures.