Tunisia's Civil Society Under Repression: Activists Detained and Organizations Targeted

Crackdown on Civil Society

• 💔 Farida Riyahi tearfully recounts the arrest of her daughter, Sharifa Riyah, a refugee support group head, accused of harboring illegal migrants.
• ⚖️ Sharifa has been imprisoned for over a year without charge, leaving behind young children.
• 📈 Rights groups report Sharifa's case is emblematic of a growing repression against civil society under President Kais Saied.

President Saied's Authoritarian Grip

• 🏛️ Since dissolving parliament in 2021, President Kais Saied has ruled by decree, tightening executive control.
• 🎯 The crackdown targets political opponents, subaharan migrants, and increasingly, NGOs and advocacy groups.
• 🗣️ Saied accuses these organizations of serving foreign agendas and undermining national unity, labeling their leaders as "traitors and collaborators."

Impact on Activists and NGOs

• 🚨 At least a dozen civil society figures have been detained, and numerous groups have faced asset freezes and office raids.
• 😟 Many Tunisian activists and NGO workers are now in hiding due to fear of arrest and reprisken.
• ⚠️ Expressing oneself as a civil society activist has become a risky endeavor, leading to stigma, intimidation, surveillance, and questioning.
• 🕊️ Despite the increasing threats, some activists continue to fight for transparency and democracy in Tunisia.