Washington, United States–The United States on Wednesday denounced Tunisia’s arrest of critics of President Kais Saied and called for transparent legal proceedings.
“We’re deeply concerned by the reported arrests of multiple political figures, business leaders and journalists in Tunisia in recent days,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
“We respect the aspirations of the Tunisian people for an independent and transparent judiciary that is able to protect fundamental freedoms for all,” he said.
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Police in the North African country — birthplace of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings — have arrested 10 public figures since Saturday, including the director of a popular radio station and a prominent businessman.
The opposition National Salvation Front said that the arrests were an act of vengeance without legal basis.
Saied seized wide-ranging powers in July 2021 as he froze parliament following an economic crisis. He initially enjoyed some public support, but he has been accused of growing authoritarianism.