The head of the National Salvation Front, Ahmed Najib al-Shabi, said that what he described as the current repressive campaign against dissidents in Tunisia is nothing but a manifestation of the confusion of power, while the European Union expressed its concern about what is happening in the country.
Al-Shabi announced in a press conference held by the National Salvation Front in the capital, Tunis, that the front will organize a demonstration in the capital next Sunday, to demand the release of all detainees from all currents, in protest against what he called "the arrest machine that is still going on in Tunisia."
Al-Shabi said, "We are living through a campaign of widespread repression that affected all circles, and there are so far 44 detainees for political reasons, 3 of whom are leaders of the National Salvation Front: Jawhar bin Mubarak, Shaimaa Issa, and Rida Belhaj."
He added, "This matter (the arrests) we expected before the elections, and we announced it since May, because this absolute individual rule can only extend its influence by silencing the voice of the opponents and the voice of every free soul in this country," he said.
Installingo case
For his part, a member of the Executive Board of the Salvation Front, Samir Dilo, expressed the Front's fears of reaching the stage of physical liquidation of opponents.
Dilo said - in a radio statement - that the opposition is targeted in its presence, as he put it.
For its part, the Tunisian Republican Party announced the arrest of 3 of its members, after statements made by the defense lawyer for the former minister, Zahr al-Akrami, saying that the investigating judge had ordered their client to be imprisoned.
Al-Akrami was arrested in what became known as the "file of conspiracy against state security, according to the Tunisian government."
For her part, Attorney Enas Harath said that the Public Prosecution decided to continue the arrest of the dissolved member of Parliament, the leader of the Ennahda movement, Sayed Ferjani, pending investigation into what was known as the “Instalingo” case, which was raised by the Public Prosecution against a public relations company that accused it of propaganda for the Ennahda movement and money laundering.
In the same context, the European Union said that it is following the developments in Tunisia with great concern, noting that it is going through many complications.
The federation added that it hopes that the authorities will be able to find solutions to the challenges facing the country.
He pointed out that the Tunisian file will be discussed at the next meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels next March.