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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
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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.

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Kremlin Says It Still Supports Syria’s Assad and Will See What Help Is Needed

This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a Syrian White Helmet civil defense worker running in a destroyed neighborhood after the Syrian government forces hit Idlib city, Syria, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)
This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a Syrian White Helmet civil defense worker running in a destroyed neighborhood after the Syrian government forces hit Idlib city, Syria, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)
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Kremlin Says It Still Supports Syria’s Assad and Will See What Help Is Needed

This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a Syrian White Helmet civil defense worker running in a destroyed neighborhood after the Syrian government forces hit Idlib city, Syria, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)
This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a Syrian White Helmet civil defense worker running in a destroyed neighborhood after the Syrian government forces hit Idlib city, Syria, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia was continuing to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after his forces lost territory to opposition groups and would see what help was needed to stabilize the situation.

A statement from the Syrian Prime Minister's office on Monday said that Russian and Syrian aircraft were striking opposition-held positions in Aleppo's eastern countryside, killing and wounding dozens of fighters.

Russia, a staunch Assad ally, intervened militarily on his side against anti-government factions in 2015 in its biggest foray in the Middle East since the Soviet Union's collapse, and maintains an airbase and naval facility in Syria.

The Kremlin said on Friday it wanted the Syrian government to restore constitutional order as soon as possible and regarded the opposition attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty.

Asked on Monday whether Russia planned to increase its support for Assad, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said:

"We continue to support Bashar Al-Assad. Contacts are continuing at the appropriate levels.

"We are analyzing the situation and a position will be formed on what is needed to stabilize the situation."

Russian military bloggers said on Sunday that Moscow has dismissed Sergei Kisel, the general in charge of its forces in Syria, and replaced him with Colonel General Alexander Chaiko.

There was no official confirmation from the Russian Defense Ministry of such a change.

Assad has vowed to crush the opposition fighters - a coalition of Türkiye-backed mainstream secular armed groups along with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The opposition seized control of all of Idlib province in recent days, the boldest assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.

They also swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib, on Friday night, forcing the army to redeploy.