Tunisia: Ennahda calls for release of female political detainees

Tunisia’s Ennahda movement has called for the release of women detained for their political views, as Tunisia marks its National Women’s Day. 

In a statement on Thursday, the movement said the occasion was “not merely an opportunity to celebrate legal and legislative achievements, but also a tribute to the role of free women who have always been on the front lines of resisting colonialism and confronting authoritarian systems, while upholding the values of freedom and national dignity”.

It expressed its “absolute solidarity and full support” for women held behind bars because of their political views and positions in support of freedom, stressing that “restricting their freedom has not and will not deter them from being symbols of civil and peaceful struggle”.

The movement also expressed its “deep appreciation and full solidarity” with the mothers, wives and daughters of hundreds of political detainees, who it said were shouldering a heavy burden and waging a daily, patient struggle to support victims of authoritarianism, including political leaders, journalists, bloggers, human rights activists and civil society members.

It said continued arrests and prosecutions over political and civil activity and the expression of opinions were worsening the suffering of hundreds of Tunisian families and deepening the country’s political, humanitarian and rights crisis.

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