More than 2,000 Tunisians gathered in central Tunis on Friday, demanding the release of a jailed lawyer and denouncing President Kais Saied.
The demonstration unfolded near the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, with protesters accusing Saied of authoritarianism and dismantling democratic freedoms.
Chants of “The people want the fall of the regime” and “It’s your turn, Kais, the dictator” echoed down the streets, evoking the spirit of the 2011 Arab Spring.
Heavy police presence lined Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the symbolic heart of Tunisia’s revolutionary protests and the endpoint of Friday’s march.
Anger swelled following the arrest of lawyer Ahmed Souab, who was charged with terrorism days after criticizing the judiciary’s handling of opposition figures.
“Free Souab, you are normalising terrorism,” protesters cried, accusing the courts of bowing to government pressure in politically motivated trials.
Souab had defended several of the 40 opposition voices sentenced last week to prison terms reaching up to 66 years on state conspiracy charges.
Among the crowd were lawyers, youth activists, artists, and families of the imprisoned—united in a growing call for democratic restoration.
International backlash mounted as France, Germany, and the United Nations voiced concern over the sweeping sentences and shrinking judicial independence.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the trial as flawed and politically charged, warning of grave threats to due process in Tunisia.
Since Saied seized full executive power in 2021 by dissolving parliament, civil liberties in the country have steadily eroded, rights groups say.
Friday’s protest marked one of the largest acts of defiance against Saied’s rule, reigniting hopes for justice and renewed democratic momentum.