Tunisian President: We Refuse to Throw People in Jail for their Opinions

Tunisians block a street during a demonstration in Tunis on May 24, 2024. (Photo by Sofiene HAMDAOUI / AFP)
Tunisians block a street during a demonstration in Tunis on May 24, 2024. (Photo by Sofiene HAMDAOUI / AFP)
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Tunisian President: We Refuse to Throw People in Jail for their Opinions

Tunisians block a street during a demonstration in Tunis on May 24, 2024. (Photo by Sofiene HAMDAOUI / AFP)
Tunisians block a street during a demonstration in Tunis on May 24, 2024. (Photo by Sofiene HAMDAOUI / AFP)

Tunisian President Kais Saïed said he refuses to throw people in jail for their opinions, adding that the freedom of expression is enshrined in the country's charter.
During a meeting on Friday with Justice Minister Leila Jaffel, the President said, “I am fully opposed to throwing people in jail for their opinions and this is guaranteed by law, even more than in other countries”.
He said the protection of rights and freedoms is an “irreversible choice” in Tunisia. However, he rejected any foreign interference in the country’s affairs.
“We do not tolerate attempts to harm the country and tarnish its image abroad. Any interference in internal affairs is rejected,” he said, adding that Tunisia’s sovereignty is above any consideration.
Hundreds of Tunisians participated in a protest in the capital Tunis on Friday following a series of arrests of lawyers and journalists.
Protesters chanted, “Down with police repression”, “No fear, the streets are the people's.” They also raised signs that read: “No sovereignty without freedom.”
The protesters denounced what they call the “systematic crackdown on freedom of expression and public freedoms in the country.” They demanded the repeal of Decree 54 of 2022, on the fight against cybercrime.
Two Tunisian media figures received one-year jail sentences last Wednesday after making comments the authorities deemed critical, in the latest prosecutions under Decree 54, a 2022 ban on spreading false news.
Civil society activist Hind Al-Shawish said the march was organized by activists known for their defense of the revolution.
She said the march “expresses our anger and protest against the regime of President Saeid, which has threatened the Tunisian people, suppressed freedoms of expression, and further crippled the economic situation.”
For his part, political activist Ziad Makhlouf demanded the withdrawal of Decree 54, which was approved by President Saeid. “The basic principles of this march call for diversity and the freedom of expression and organization,” he said.

 



Türkiye Criticizes Some NATO Countries’ Support for Kurdish Units in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, in Ankara on Tuesday (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, in Ankara on Tuesday (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Türkiye Criticizes Some NATO Countries’ Support for Kurdish Units in Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, in Ankara on Tuesday (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, in Ankara on Tuesday (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Türkiye criticized the support provided by some of its allies in NATO to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the largest component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

“The countries we have problems with... are America, England, and a little bit with France,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in a televised interview on Monday.

He added: “The United States maintains its presence there, and we are putting this problem on the agenda at all levels... Türkiye is continuing the highest level of diplomacy possible” as “it can no longer live with such a reality.”

The foreign minister went on to say: “We carry more sensitivity in our fight against the PKK than you (the US and the UK) do in your fight against terrorism, just on the other side of our border. It is out of the question for us to engage in any negotiations here.”

On the other hand, Fidan considered that stopping the armed conflict between the Syrian army and the opposition is currently the main “achievement” of his country and Russia.

“The most important thing that we were able to achieve in Syria along with the Russians is that there is no war currently between the army and the opposition, and the Astana negotiations and others made that possible at the present time,” he stated.

He added that Damascus needs to “use this period of calm wisely, as an opportunity to return millions of Syrians who have fled abroad to rebuild their country and revive its economy.”

The minister revealed that he discussed this matter during his recent meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

“We are studying this matter. The return of refugees is important,” Fidan said, adding: “We want the Syrian government to exploit this period of calm, rationally... as an opportunity to solve constitutional problems and achieve peace with the opposition. But we do not see that Damascus is benefiting from this sufficiently.”