clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Military court complaint as Tunisia president 'endangers state security', activists say

January 13, 2022 at 2:21 pm

Tunisia’s President Kais Saied in Tunis, Tunisia on 15 December 2021 [FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images]

A complaint has been filed against Tunisian President Kais Saied and measures he has taken giving him executive powers in the North African state.

Activists in Tunisia, Europe, America and Canada filed the complaint with the Tunisian military court as “the impact is related to the security of the nation” and because “what happened is very serious and endangers Tunisia’s security and stability,” a statement said.

They claim that Saied’s actions form part of a plot by Egyptian authorities, funded by the UAE and executed by Tunisian authorities to tear down the democratic process in Tunis.

“The plot was hatched on 11 April 2021,” the complainants said, when Egyptian Intelligence Director Abbas Kamel sent a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi referring to a meeting in Cairo during which the spy chief and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Tunisian counterpart Othman Jerandi, Presidential Cabinet Director Nadia Akacha, Presidential Adviser Walid Al-Hajjam, El Destouri El Horr Party’s MP Magdi Boudina, and Abdul Khaleq Abdullah the adviser to Abu Dhabi crown prince.

During the meeting the officials discussed the situation in Tunisia and a plan was agreed to remove Islamists – mainly represented by the Ennahda party – from the political scene, with Saied announcing measures to dissolve parliament and “restore the state from the corrupt”, the statement explained.

READ: Tunisia General Labour Union warns of strikes in 80% of sectors

Egypt said it was happy to provide logistical support, while the UAE said funding would be available when required, the claimants have said.

A few weeks later Akacha sent a confidential letter to the Egyptian authorities explaining the details of the plan. This was later published by WikiLeaks and highlighted “the malicious agendas that seek to destroy the democratic experience in Tunisia.”

On 25 July, Saied implemented the strategy and took over executive power, freezing parliament and placing some officials under house arrest.

“Tunisian law punishes anyone who puts himself/herself, in peacetime, at the disposal of a foreign army or terrorist organisation operating abroad, as well as anyone who links with a foreign country or makes contacts for the purpose or result of damaging the situation in Tunisia from a military or diplomatic point of view,” the statement continued.

The complainants are Abdenasser El Mehri, lawyer and representative of a number of citizens of Tunisia; Dr. Adel Guitouni, a representative of a number of Tunisian citizens in America and Canada; and Anouar Gharbi, a human rights activist and politician based in Geneva who represents Tunisians in Europe and some Arab countries

Tunisia's president Kais Saied is bleeding the country - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

Tunisia’s president Kais Saied is bleeding the country – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]