Tunisian police on Monday arrested Ahmed Souab, a prominent defence lawyer and fierce critic of the country’s President Kais Saied, lawyers told Reuters.

Mr Souab is among the lawyers acting for opposition leaders who received heavy prison sentences on Saturday on charges of conspiring.

A court in Tunisia had sentenced a group of senior politicians, businessmen and lawyers to long prison sentences on conspiracy and terrorism charges.

The defendants received sentences of up to 66 years. They include leaders of the National Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition, who were arrested in 2023.

Human rights groups described the trial as an attempt to stifle dissent.

Mr Souab said it was a “farce”.

President Kais Saied suspended parliament after being elected in 2019.

Last year, he won a second term by a landslide after jailing dissidents and potential rivals.

In the latest case, 40 defendants were accused of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group”. Most had left the country and were tried in absentia.

Those in detention include National Salvation Front leaders Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek.

They were given 18-year sentences, a defence lawyer told the AFP news agency after the ruling late on Friday.

Kamel Eltaief, an activist and businessman, was jailed for 66 years, the lawyer added.

Kamel Jendoubi, a former minister tried in absentia, told AFP news agency: “This is not a judicial ruling, but a political decree executed by judges under orders.”

Mr Souab is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: “I have never witnessed a trial like this. It’s a farce.”

Tunisia is the country where a wave of pro-democracy protests in the Arab world began in late 2010.

The country’s long-time strongman, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was ousted within weeks.

Last year’s election was Tunisia’s third presidential poll since then.

Rights group Amnesty International has denounced a “worrying decline in fundamental rights” under Mr Saied’s government, as discontent rises over his authoritarian style of governance.

Mr Saied has rejected the criticism, saying he is fighting a “corrupt elite” and “traitors”. 

(Reuters/NAN)