Ahmad 
The European Union expressed concern over the wave of arrests of several civil society figures, journalists and political activists in Tunisia, demanding clarification on these incidents.
Events escalated in Tunisia on Monday, with police storming the Bar Association for the second time in 48 hours and arresting lawyer Mehdi Zagrouba after the arrest of Sunia Dahmani, another lawyer critical of the president over the weekend.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed his dismay at the arrests, noting that they contradict the basic rights guaranteed in the Tunisian constitution.
Opposition parties described the storming of the Bar Association as a “major escalation”.
In a separate incident, EFM media workers Mourad al-Zughidi and Burhan Besais were arrested for their comments on social media, according to their lawyer.
“Freedom of expression and association, as well as the independence of the judiciary, are guaranteed by the Tunisian constitution and form the basis of our partnership,” the EU said in a statement.
Last week, police also arrested civil society activists working on migration, including prominent activist Saadia Misbah, on suspicion of helping migrants stay in Tunisia and financial abuses, lawyers said.
Tunisian President Kais Saied said this month at a meeting of the National Security Council that the situation of migrants raised questions about who really was behind it, adding that a number of officials who run civil society organizations that defend migrants’ rights were “traitors” who received money from abroad.
Saied took office after free elections in 2019, but two years later seized additional powers when he closed the elected parliament and moved to power by decree, moves the opposition described as a coup.
Saeed denied the accusations, saying his moves were legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and corruption.
Hundreds demonstrated in Tunis on Sunday to demand the release of jailed journalists, activists and dissidents and a date for fair presidential elections.
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