Fri Dec 12 22:36:57 UTC 2025: ## Tunisia Sentences Opposition Leader to 12 Years Amid Growing Crackdown
Tunis, Tunisia – A Tunisian court has sentenced prominent opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison, marking the latest development in a widening crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied. Moussi, leader of the Free Destourian Party and a vocal critic of Saied, was convicted on charges stemming from an incident last year where she was arrested at the presidential palace. Her lawyer has denounced the ruling as politically motivated.
Moussi’s imprisonment is part of a broader pattern of repression targeting journalists, activists, civil society groups, and opposition figures. Dozens have been sentenced to harsh prison terms in recent months, often under Decree 54, a controversial law used to combat “false news.” Critics argue that the decree is a tool to stifle free speech.
President Saied, who came to power in 2019, has been accused of dismantling democratic institutions since dissolving parliament in 2021 and assuming near-total control. He claims his actions are necessary to save the country from chaos, but opponents and rights groups say he has undermined the independence of the judiciary and is driving Tunisia back towards authoritarianism.
Moussi, a supporter of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted in the 2011 Arab Spring revolution, has previously been imprisoned and fined for criticizing the government. While some criticize her for wanting to restore the old authoritarian regime, she maintains that she is exercising her right to oppose the government and stands against political violence. The situation raises serious concerns about the future of democracy in Tunisia, once seen as a beacon of hope following the Arab Spring uprisings.
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