Tunisia arrests top opposition leader Nejib Chebbi in widening crackdown

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffDecember 4, 2025 at 03:15 PM

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Tunisian police arrested prominent opposition leader Ahmed Nejib Chebbi on Thursday, December 4, 2025, escalating a crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied. Chebbi's arrest follows his recent 12-year sentence for allegedly plotting against the state, a trial widely condemned as politically motivated. As cofounder of the National Salvation Front, Chebbi is a vocal critic of Saied's 2021 power grab and the subsequent rollback of freedoms. His arrest is part of a larger wave of detentions targeting opposition figures, lawyers, and rights advocates, including Ayachi Hammami and Chaima Issa, who also received lengthy prison sentences in the "conspiracy case." These actions have drawn criticism from human rights groups concerned about Tunisia's democratic backsliding.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kais Saied ×480% Ahmed Nejib Chebbi ×6100% Tunisia ×6100%

Keywords

tunisia 100% political crackdown 90% opposition leader 80% arrest 70% sham trial 70% kais saied 60% political prisoners 60% arab spring 50% human rights 50% repression 40%