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TUNIS, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Tunisian police arrested prominent opposition leader Chama Issa at a protest in the capital Tunis on Saturday to enforce a 20-year prison sentence, his lawyers said.
An appeals court on Friday sentenced opposition leaders, business leaders and lawyers to up to 45 years in prison on charges of plotting to overthrow President Kais Saied, in what critics said was a sign of an increasingly authoritarian regime.
During the protests, just before Issa’s arrest, he and two other convicted politicians called on the fragmented opposition to unite and intensify demonstrations against Saeed.
“They will arrest me soon,” Issa told Reuters. “I say to the Tunisian people, continue to protest and reject tyranny. We are sacrificing our freedom for you.”
He described the charges as unjust and politically motivated.
More arrests expected
Police are also widely expected to arrest Najib Chebbi, head of the opposition National Salvation Front, the main coalition challenging Saeed.
“We will not get freedom except through unity,” Chebbi, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison, told Reuters at the rally.
“We are ready to go to jail, we are not afraid,” said opposition leader Ayachi Hammami, who was sentenced to five years in prison. “I hope the youth will expand the protests until the authorities reconsider, otherwise they will be swayed by the will of the people.”
Saeed says he is fighting traitors, corrupt people and mercenaries. He accused civil society groups of receiving foreign funding for the purpose of interfering in Tunisian affairs.
Forty people were charged in the case, one of the largest political trials in Tunisia’s recent history. Twenty of those charged fled abroad and were sentenced in absentia.
The sentences ranged from five to 45 years, according to a court document seen by Reuters.
Rights groups said the decision was an escalation of Saeed’s crackdown on dissent since he gained extraordinary powers in 2021. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International called for the immediate revocation of the sentence.
Critics, journalists and activists have been jailed and independent NGOs have been suspended.
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Toby Chopra, Timothy Heritage and Andrew Havens)
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