Members of the "Citizens Against the Coup" campaign in Tunisia affirmed their adherence to taking to the streets tomorrow, Friday 14 January, on the 11th anniversary of the Jasmine Revolution, despite the authority's decisions banning all gatherings and canceling any demonstrations.

This came at a time when several parties insisted on rejecting any decision prohibiting demonstrations on the anniversary of the revolution, and confirmed their intention not to yield to it, accusing the current authorities of exploiting the health conditions to suppress freedoms.

Shaima Issa, a member of the "Citizens Against the Coup" campaign, said that "the coup authority employed the scientific committee to limit the spread of the Corona virus for political purposes."

She added - in a press conference held by the campaign in the capital, Tunis - that the government "politicized the work of the scientific committee for its failure to find solutions to the country's problems."


clash platform

For his part, Habib Bouajiba, a member of Citizens Against the Coup, said that the hunger strike called for by the campaign "managed within 20 days to turn into a platform of engagement" with what he called the "coup".

Bouajiba added - in a previous interview with Al Jazeera - that the strike revealed what he described as the authoritarian nature of the coup.

And "Citizens Against the Coup" had announced earlier today the transfer of a member of the House of People's Representatives, Mahbouba bin Dhaif Allah, to hospital, after her health deteriorated, following her hunger strike in protest against the decisions of President Qais Saeed.


responses decisions

This position comes in response to the authorities’ decision to ban night curfews, prevent gatherings for two weeks, and postpone or cancel all demonstrations open to the participation or attendance of the public, under the pretext of combating the spread of the Corona virus, and thus anticipating the date scheduled tomorrow for protest demonstrations against the president coinciding with the anniversary of the revolution.

On the other hand, the Democratic Current, the Republican Party and the Ettakatol for Labor and Freedoms held a press conference to respond to Saeed's decisions.

The Secretary-General of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi, confirmed that "any decision to prevent demonstrations will not be complied with" on the anniversary of the January 14 revolution.

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Democratic Current, Ghazi al-Shawashi, said, "The authorities have politicized the work of the Scientific Committee to combat the Corona virus, exploited the health conditions to suppress rights and freedoms, targeted media professionals by closing Al Jazeera's office, and prevented representatives of political parties from appearing on official television."

Al-Shawashi considered that the government's decision is "political" and his party will not respect it, stressing that the "Democratic Movement" will participate in demonstrations tomorrow against the president's decisions.


repressive regime

Al-Shawashi added that his country lives under "a regime that suppresses rights and freedoms, and this was demonstrated by placing politicians under house arrest, in addition to military trials for civilians and restrictions on the work of the media."

For its part, the Labor Party expressed its refusal to comply with what it called the "disguised decision" of President Saeed and his government to ban demonstrations tomorrow.

The party considered, in a statement, that the timing of the announcement of government measures to prevent the spread of the virus was "political, dictated by the desire of Saeed and his government to prevent political demonstrations against his coup."


Facing dictatorship

For its part, the Ennahda movement called on the Tunisian people to demonstrate tomorrow to celebrate the anniversary of the revolution to confront what it called the "emerging dictatorship."

The movement (which has the largest parliamentary bloc with 53 deputies out of 217) said in a statement that it invites all Tunisians to "celebrate this dear occasion on Al-Thawra Street in the capital (Habib Bourguiba Street) in devotion to the gains of our people from basic rights and freedoms, the most important of which is the freedom to demonstrate and express opinion."

The movement called on Tunisians to confront "the emerging dictatorship that has been perpetuating monopoly in rule and authority, seeking to strike the free judiciary, monopolizing national symbols, and ignoring the livelihood priorities of citizens."

Tomorrow coincides with the anniversary of the 2011 revolution that toppled the regime of the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and President Said had decided to change this date to December 17, to become an official holiday.

Al-Nahda said - in a statement Thursday - that its call to demonstrate comes as a rejection of "the political exploitation of the health situation and the risks of the spread of the Corona pandemic, to strike the remaining margins of freedoms, and to undermine the calls to celebrate the revolution, which was evident in recent government decisions."


message and worry

In Washington, US lawmakers from both parties urged the administration of President Joe Biden to assess the "anti-democratic course of Tunisia's president" and ensure meaningful reforms.

In a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, senior lawmakers, including the chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees, expressed their concerns about recent developments that "threaten democracy in Tunisia."

These lawmakers expressed concern about "the use of the Tunisian army against democratic institutions and opponents" and about "potentially politically motivated arrests."

They also welcomed the appointment of a female prime minister and the announcement of a political road map, and called for more efforts to "ensure a rooted democracy" in Tunisia.