Families Demand Release of Jailed Tunisian Opposition Figures

Tunisian activist Ezzeddine Hazgui speaks at a news conference on February 21 - AFP
Tunisian activist Ezzeddine Hazgui speaks at a news conference on February 21 - AFP
TT
20

Families Demand Release of Jailed Tunisian Opposition Figures

Tunisian activist Ezzeddine Hazgui speaks at a news conference on February 21 - AFP
Tunisian activist Ezzeddine Hazgui speaks at a news conference on February 21 - AFP

Families of several jailed Tunisian opposition figures on Wednesday called for their release, including a number of detainees on hunger strike.

Since February 2023, more than 20 opposition figures, whom Tunisian President Kais Saied has dubbed "terrorists", have been held on suspicion of involvement in "conspiracy against the internal and external security of the state".

Among them are politician Jawhar Ben Mbarek, leader of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party Rached Ghannouchi, and Issam Chebbi, a leader of the opposition National Salvation Front -- all of whom have been on hunger strike for days to demand their release.

"For a year they have been in prison without any crime or charge," said Ben Mbarek's father, Ezzedine Hazgui. "This is arbitrary detention and a crime against humanity."

Speaking at a press conference with other family members of the jailed opposition figures, Hazgui told AFP that President Saied "is arresting all of his political opponents".

Lawyer Dalila Msaddek, from the detainees' defense committee, told the press conference: "The hunger strike is starting to take its toll on their health, but they insist on continuing."

Several Tunisian and international human rights organizations have called for the release of the opposition figures, condemning court proceedings against them.



UN Peacekeepers Attacked by Civilians in Lebanon, No Casualties Reported

FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
TT
20

UN Peacekeepers Attacked by Civilians in Lebanon, No Casualties Reported

FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles drive in the Lebanese village of Wazzani near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo

A large group of civilians wielding metal rods and axes attacked a patrol of UN troops in southern Lebanon on Friday, causing damage to UN vehicles but no injuries, a United Nations peacekeeping force said.

The UN troops used non-lethal force to protect themselves and those present, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), adding the patrol had been on a routine operation between the villages of Jmayjmeh and Khirbat Silim.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were notified and arrived shortly after the incident, escorting the patrol back to base, Reuters said.

UNIFIL said the patrol had been pre-planned and coordinated with the LAF.

The UN peacekeeping mission stressed that its mandate, under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, guarantees freedom of movement in its area of operations with or without LAF accompaniment.

On Wednesday, UNIFIL said that direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. UNIFIL said the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November.