Overview
- A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison, according to her lawyer, who called the ruling politically motivated.
- Hundreds rallied in Tunis on Saturday in a rare cross-spectrum demonstration, with protesters demanding an end to one-man rule and the restoration of democracy.
- Moussi has been jailed since 2023 following her arrest at the presidential palace entrance on suspicion of assault intended to cause chaos, charges she rejects.
- An appeals court last month upheld jail terms of up to 45 years for dozens of politicians, business figures and lawyers on conspiracy charges, and police recently detained Chaima Issa, Ayachi Hammami and Nejib Chebbi in the same case.
- Moussi previously received two separate two-year sentences under Decree 54 targeting so-called false news, with one appeal still pending, while President Saied denies using the judiciary against opponents.