The first conference of the opposition Labor and Achievement Party demanded the release of prisoners of conscience (Tunisian press)
The opposition Labor and Achievement Party in Tunisia held its first conference, in the presence of heads of parties and national organizations and representatives of civil society organizations in the country, amid calls for the release of prisoners of conscience.
The party's Secretary-General, Abdul Latif Al-Makki, said that the conference, which was held under the slogan "Stability and Construction," comes at a delicate political circumstance that Tunisia is going through, to confirm the important role of parties in political life.
The young party was founded on June 28, 2022, by opposition figures, including prominent leaders such as Abdel Latif Al-Makki, former Minister of Health (2011-2014), former Minister of Agriculture Mohamed Ben Salem, and former Minister of Human Rights and Transitional Justice Samir Dilo.
In a speech he delivered during the opening, the Secretary-General of the party said that holding the conference “at this time comes in compliance with the decisions of the founding conference of the party, which approved that the first conference be held within 8 months of obtaining approval, and its issuance in the Official Gazette.”
Participation in elections
Regarding the possibility of the party participating in the presidential elections that are expected to be held in the fall of this year, Al-Makki said that his party is still studying the matter, and explained that “there are promising beginnings for a serious dialogue within the various political components, including the opposition National Salvation Front, to find a basis that will enable the presentation of a consensual candidate for the elections.” The next presidential election.
Al-Makki stressed the necessity of providing conditions for free and fair competition for power, and called for the release of all political prisoners, media professionals, and judges detained in Tunisia.
On February 12, Tunisian President Kais Saied confirmed that the next presidential elections will be held on their scheduled date in the fall of 2024, indicating that the opposition, which boycotted previous elections, “is preparing for this date.”
Since February 11, 2023, Tunisia has witnessed an arrest campaign that included politicians, media professionals, activists, judges, and businessmen, some of whom were accused by President Saied of “conspiring against state security, and being behind crises in the distribution of goods and rising prices.”
On the other hand, the opposition accuses President Saied of using the judiciary to prosecute those who object to the exceptional measures he imposed on July 25, 2021.
Source: Anadolu Agency