At the call of the Tunisian Network for Rights and Freedoms, to also demand “the rejection of the amendment of the electoral law and the continued harassment of opponents”
Hundreds of Tunisians staged a protest march in the center of the capital Tunis on Friday, calling for the “restoration” of the democratic process, rejecting the amendment of the electoral law and the continuation of “restrictions” against opponents and activists.
The demonstration was organized by the Tunisian Network for Rights and Freedoms, to demand “the restoration of the democratic process, the rejection of the amendment of the electoral law, and the continued harassment of opponents,” the organizers of the demonstration say.
The Tunisian Network for Rights and Freedoms was created on September 4 by 17 civil organizations and nine left-wing and liberal parties, including the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, the Workers’ Party, the Democratic Current and the Al-Jomhouri Party.
The march began at the Parc du Passage and headed towards Rue Habib Bourguiba in the center of the capital.
During the event, protesters chanted slogans demanding freedoms, such as: “Freedoms. No to the presidency for life”, “Absurd laws. Fictitious elections”, “Freedom for prisoners of conscience”, “The people want to overthrow the regime”, “No fear, no terror, The street belongs to the people”.
Last Friday, parliament voted in favor of a controversial amendment to the electoral law, which removes the administrative court’s jurisdiction over elections in favor of the court of appeal.
On September 2, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) announced that the final list of candidates for the presidential election was limited to 3 candidates (out of 17): President Kais Saied, Ayachi Zammel, secretary general of the Azimoun movement (opposition), and Zouhair Maghzawi, secretary general of the Echaab Movement (pro-Saied).
The ISIE rejected three opposition candidacies, despite the administrative court ruling that the candidates could run in the elections. The body said it had not been “informed of the judgment within the legal time limit.”
These are candidates Abdellatif Mekki, secretary general of the Party of Labor and Progress, Monther Znaidi, former minister under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and Imad Daimi, chief of staff of former president Moncef Marzouki.
The election campaign began on September 14 and continues until midnight local time (23:00 GMT), two days before the elections scheduled for October 6.
On Tuesday, presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison in four cases related to “falsifying endorsements” to be able to run in the elections.
Tunisia has been experiencing a crisis and strong political polarization since President Saïed began, on July 25, 2021, to impose exceptional measures, including the dissolution of Parliament and the High Council of the Judiciary, the adoption of laws by presidential decree, the adoption of a new Constitution by popular referendum and the organization of early legislative elections.
Some political forces consider these measures as “a coup d’état against the Constitution of the revolution (the 2014 Constitution) and a consecration of absolute individual power”, while other pro-Saied forces see it as a “correction of the course of the 2011 revolution”, which overthrew President Ben Ali (1987-2011).
