Several thousand supporters of Abir Moussi, a fierce opponent of Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, who has been in detention for more than ten days, gathered on Sunday October 15 in the center of Tunis.

Wearing t-shirts bearing her image, between 1,500 and 2,000 people took to the streets to protest against the arrest on October 3 and then the detention two days later of Ms. Moussi.

The leader of the Free Destourian Party (PDL) is the subject of charges under article 72 of the penal code which provides for the death penalty for any person found guilty of “an attack aimed at changing the form of government, ‘incite people to arm themselves against each other or to provoke disorder, murder or pillage on Tunisian territory’.

“Shame, they condemned Abir because she resists” President Saïed, the crowd shouted. “With the soul, with the blood, we are with you, Abir,” chanted the demonstrators, many of whom brandished signs with a photo, in lawyer’s attire, of Ms. Moussi.

” Rebellion “

Violently critical of President Saïed and the Islamo-conservative opposition party Ennahda, Ms. Moussi, 48, is accused by her detractors of wanting to reestablish an authoritarian regime like that of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali , overthrown in 2011 following the first revolt of the Arab Spring. His party, founded in 2013, was led by Hamed Karoui, former prime minister of Mr. Ben Ali from 1989 to 1999.

The one who repeatedly denounced “a coup d’état” by Mr. Saïed was arrested on October 3 in front of the presidential palace in Carthage and placed in police custody. According to her party, Ms. Moussi, a former MP, had appeared before the palace to file appeals against presidential decrees.

In a video posted on her party’s Facebook page, Ms. Moussi claimed before her arrest that the presidential office had refused to accept her appeal and give her an acknowledgment of receipt.

Since February, the authorities have imprisoned more than twenty opponents, including the leader of Ennahda, Rached Ghannouchi, and the co-founder of the National Salvation Front – the main coalition of opponents – Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, as well as personalities including former ministers and businessmen.

President Saïed has been accused by the opposition and various NGOs of authoritarian drift since he assumed full powers on July 25, 2021.