TUNISIA AUTHORITY ARREST OPPOSITION LEADER, CHAIMA ISSA OVER COUP PLOT

A prominent Tunisian opposition leader, Chaima Issa, was arrested during a protest in Tunis on Saturday, a day after an appeals court issued prison sentences of 45 years for several opposition figures accused of plotting to oust President Kais Saied. Issa, who received a 20-year sentence, told protesters shortly before her arrest to stay united against Saied’s growing authoritarianism.
She insists the charges are politically motivated, while Human Rights Watch has labelled the trial a “travesty of justice.” The arrests come amid Saied’s continued crackdown on critics since seizing extensive powers in 2021, a move he said is necessary to combat corruption and restore order.