Tunisia: Former presidential candidate Safi Said arrested for illegal border crossing

Safi Said, a critic of Tunisian President Kais Saied who had initially announced his candidacy for the presidency before withdrawing, was arrested on Tuesday August 20 for illegally crossing the border into Algeria, according to local media reports on Wednesday August 21.

The 70-year-old former MP and writer, who was sentenced to four months in prison in June for falsifying documents related to his 2014 presidential bid, was detained by the court in Kasserine for the illegal border crossing.

On August 9, Said had withdrawn his candidacy for the October 6 presidential election, citing “unequal opportunities, major obstacles, and a lack of clarity in the electoral process.”

Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlighted on Tuesday that “at least eight potential candidates” have faced prosecution, conviction, or imprisonment, effectively barring them from running. This list includes opposition leaders Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi, as well as Abir Moussi, head of the Parti Destourien Libre, who supports the former Bourguiba and Ben Ali regimes.

HRW noted that Tunisia is preparing for a presidential election amidst increasing repression of dissent and freedom of expression, with inadequate checks on President Saied’s powers. Since seizing full control on July 25, 2021, Saied has faced accusations of authoritarianism.