TUNIS: Tunisian police detained opposition figure Olfa Hamdi upon his arrival at Tunisia’s main airport on Sunday, local media reported, in the latest move against critics of President Kais Saied.
According to reports, Mr. Hamdi, leader of the Third Republican Party, was detained immediately after disembarking from the plane. She lives abroad and previously served as CEO of Tunisia’s national airline, Air Tunis.
Mr Hamdi has repeatedly criticized Mr Said’s rule and called for the establishment of a caretaker government and an early presidential election.
Opposition officials described the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on dissent, while critics denounced the move as a coup, as Tunisia grapples with deepening polarization since Mr. Saied seized overwhelming power in 2021.
Authorities had no immediate comment on the arrest. Reuters was unable to contact Hamdi’s lawyer or relatives.
In early February, police arrested a lawmaker known for mocking the president, in what the opposition said was an attempt to stifle criticism.
Many opposition leaders are locked up in prison, along with activists and journalists, and critics have accused Mr Said of turning Tunisia into a prison since 2021.
Said rejected the charges, insisting that he was not a dictator and that the law applied to everyone, regardless of their status.
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Christina Fincher)
