Tunisia Union: No one can stop people demonstrating

Sfax, the largest labour organisation in Tunisia has affirmed that the citizens have the right of freedom of expression and demonstration, thus, “no one can strip them of that right”, reported Anadolu Agency.

This came through press statements, on Tuesday, by Noureddine Taboubi, the Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union UGTT, (the largest labour organisation).

Taboubi released these statements during his participation in a celebration the day before the 25th Congress of the UGTT, which is expected to commence on Wednesday, in the Sfax governorate, south of Tunisia.

“No one can plunder Tunisian men and women from their freedom of expression and demonstration in any capacity; the one who thinks so is deluded,” the Head of the UGTT said in his statements.

“Unity is strength of good, strength of national spirit and strength to propose the establishment of a republican system with a civil and democratic State, in which we meet under the best interests of the nation in practice, rather than a slogan,” Taboubi added.

READ: Tunisia judges’ union calls to boycott temporary Supreme Judicial Council

Taboubi continued saying: “This conference (will be held on Wednesday) will draw Tunisia’s future in a very critical economic and social situation in which all indicators and figures have collapsed.”

“Rest assured, the Union is well; we have faced many differences in viewpoints throughout its history, nonetheless, democracy within it remained the ruling and just power,” Taboubi said.

Since 25 July, Tunisia has witnessed a political crisis, when Saied started to take exceptional measures, including suspending the Parliament, lifting the immunity of its MPs, dismissing the Body for Monitoring the Constitutionality of Laws, issuing legislation by presidential decrees, his presiding over the Public Prosecution, dismissing of the Head of Government and his assumption of executive power, backed by of a government where he appointed Najla Bouden as its head.

The majority of political forces in Tunisia reject Saied’s exceptional measures, and consider this as a “coup against the Constitution,” while other forces support them as a “correction of the course of the 2011 Revolution,” in the context of political, economic and health crises (the Covid-19 pandemic).

READ: Former Tunisia PM, Marzouki, calls on opposition to find alternative to Saied