Tunisia calls EU parliament rights resolution 'blatant interference'

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday condemned a European Parliament resolution on human rights calling for the release of his critics as "blatant interference".

The EU Parliament resolution, voted by an overwhelming majority the day before, called for the release of Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer and popular critic of Saied, who was freed from prison on Thursday but remained under judicial supervision.

"The European Parliament (resolution) is a blatant interference in our affairs," Saied said in a video statement.

"They can learn lessons from us on rights and freedoms."

Saied was heard in the video statement telling Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti to "strongly protest to a representative of a foreign country accredited in Tunisia", also accused of interference, though unnamed.

"Anyone who disrespects our country or ignores the rules of international conduct must understand that we will not accept this, and we will hold them fully accountable for their actions," he added.

The foreign ministry said on Friday it had summoned the Dutch ambassador in "protest due to her failure to respect the rules of diplomacy", calling on her "not to interfere in the internal affairs of Tunisia".

It remained unclear what the envoy, Josephine Frantzen, had said or done.

Saied's condemnation also came two days after he summoned the EU's ambassador for "failing to respect diplomatic rules" in the North African country.

The EU Parliament's resolution also demanded the release of "all those detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression, including political prisoners and human rights defenders" in Tunisia.

Saied was elected in 2019 after Tunisia emerged as the only democracy to come out of the Arab Spring.

In 2021, he staged a sweeping power grab, and human rights groups have since warned of a rollback on freedoms.

Dozens of Saied's critics are currently being prosecuted or held behind bars.

On Friday, nearly 40 people including prominent political figures were handed prison sentences of up to 45 years on appeal.

The defendants had been sentenced to up to 66 years in prison in April over charges of "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group".

The EU Parliament's resolution also called for the repeal of the law under which Dahmani was prosecuted, "which has led to prosecutions for expressions of opinion, and of all abusive legislation used to limit freedoms".

The law, which Saied enacted in 2022, prohibits "spreading false news".

Dahmani, 60, was arrested by masked men in May 2024 and faced charges in several cases over her comments on radio and television denouncing racism in Tunisia.

AFP