The Tunisian Foreign Minister describes criticism from the international community as “unacceptable comments”
20 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The US State Department has stated that the arrests of opposition political leaders in Tunisia that have taken place over the past week “are in direct opposition to the principles espoused by Tunisians in a Constitution that explicitly guarantees freedom of opinion, thought and expression”.
“The arrest on Monday of former Parliament Speaker Rachid Ghanuchi, the closure of the Ennahda party headquarters and the ban on meetings of some opposition groups — as well as the Tunisian government’s insinuation that these measures are based on public statements — represent a worrying escalation by the government against its opponents,” said Deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel.
“The obligation of the Government of Tunisia to respect freedom of expression and other Human Rights is greater than any individual or political party,” he continued, before adding that “it is essential for a healthy democracy and for the relationship between Tunisia and the United States “.
For his part, the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Nabil Ammar, expressed in a statement collected by the Mosaique FM radio station his rejection of the “concern” of other countries about their internal policies.
“The laws of the Republic apply to all litigants equally and without discrimination, with all the necessary guarantees provided. Justice is exercised impartially without being affected by the wave of unacceptable comments,” he qualified.
In recent days, both the United Nations and the European Union have condemned the arrest of Ghanuchi and three other opposition leaders, Belgacem Hassen, Mohamed Cheniba and Mohamed Gumani.
The opposition, mostly united around the National Salvation Front, denounced the authoritarian drift of the president and demanded his resignation, especially after his call for a boycott in the constitutional referendum and in the legislative elections in December and January resulted in a large tax of abstention, something that they argue reflects the lack of popular support for Saied.
