Tunisia’s presidential campaign continues amid protests over restricted freedoms

Melissa Chemam with RFI

18 September 2024 at 4:24 am·1-min read

In Tunisia, the presidential election campaign kicked off on Saturday, ahead of the vote scheduled for 6 October. Only three candidates are in the running for the presidency. Meanwhile, some activists have begun protesting, raising concerns about a "climate of fear".

Political posters of the three presidential candidates started appearing in Tunis as soon as campaigning began, but few people were ready to talk about politics, according to RFI's correspondent in Tunis, Amira Soualem.

Just days earlier, the city center was bustling with energetic protesters. In all, an estimated 1,000 to 3,500 people took to the streets to voice their opposition.

“In Tunisia at the moment, there are obstacles to press freedom; several politicians have also been arrested recently. In this context, it is really good that people are moving and denouncing attacks on freedoms," Karim Jelassi, activist for a centre-left party, told RFI.

Bassem Trifi, head of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, noted that it's encouraging to see people showing up despite the "climate of fear" marked by "arrests and legal proceedings".

Documented arrests

Research from Amnesty International shows that there is a significant rollback of human rights in Tunisia, especially in the last couple of years.

(with newswires)

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