Refusal of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) to apply the Executory Decision of the Administrative Tribunal and Arbitrary Arrest of a Candidate – Yet Another Dictatorial Drift of the Kaïs Saied Regime

The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia (CRLDHT) expresses its deep indignation at the recent events that once again jeopardize the separation of powers and the foundations of democracy in Tunisia.

On September 2, 2024, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) made the arbitrary decision to exclude three candidates from the upcoming presidential elections on October 6, 2024 who were previously reinstated by an executory court decision.

By submitting to the dictates of the executive, the ISIE has clearly demonstrated its lack of independence and its bias.

The exclusion of Abdellatif Mekki, Mondher Zenaïdi, and Imed Daïmi, candidates seen as serious contenders to the incumbent president, is part of a strategy aimed at favoring the re-election of Kaïs Saied. This maneuver undermines any hope for a fair, free, transparent, and credible election. This blatant manipulation of the electoral process, paired with the repression of freedoms and arbitrary arrests stemming from political and critical opinions, confirms the contempt for the rule of law and the separation of powers shown by the head of state and his allies, including the current president of the ISIE.

This return to authoritarian practices sadly harkens back to the days of the Ben Ali dictatorship, when elections were controlled by the Ministry of the Interior.

We are witnessing an alarming regression in liberties and  the democratic gains achieved in the wake of the 2011 revolution. The current executive is stifling freedoms, imprisoning opponents, artists, journalists, and all those tempted by dissent, blatantly disregarding the rule of law and the fundamental principles of a democratic regime.

Moreover, no election observation association has been authorized, despite their proven importance in the electoral process. Organizations such as ATIDE, Mourakiboun, Bawsala, and I Watch play an essential role in ensuring electoral transparency. Their absence reinforces the opacity of the electoral process, further fueling doubts about the sincerity and credibility of the results.

This absence of independent oversight exacerbates fears of electoral manipulation and strips the process of all transparency and legitimacy.

Democracy in Tunisia calls on each and every one of us to defend it with determination against this attempt to return to authoritarianism so that we can live peacefully and freely with our differing opinions on public affairs and the policies to be pursued.

Furthermore, the CRLDHT firmly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Ayachi Zammel, former deputy, businessman, and presidential candidate, who was arrested on September 2, 2024, on baseless accusations of “forgery of sponsorship signatures.” This arrest is part of a series of repressions targeting at least eight presidential candidates, sentenced or imprisoned since mid-July. The arrest of Ayachi Zammel appears to be a deliberate attempt to prevent him from participating in the presidential election, further tightening Kaïs Saied’s authoritarian grip on the electoral process.

In an interview with the newspaper Al Charaâ Al Magharibi before his arrest, Ayachi Zammel stated that he expected his arrest and was prepared for it. He also expressed his intention to adopt a new constitution and dissolve the institutions put in place by the Kaïs Saied regime in the event of victory.

The CRLDHT fully supports the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) in its condemnation of the attack on its offices and its deputy general secretary, Samir Cheffi, on August 31, 2024. This incident, carried out by a group of individuals from a parallel organization, illustrates a worrying escalation of violence against unions. This attack, described as “cowardly” by the UGTT, echoes the brutal methods used by the League for the Protection of the Revolution in 2012 and constitutes a direct threat to union freedom in Tunisia.

The CRLDHT calls on the international community and all vital forces within of Tunisian civil society to mobilize and to denounce these serious attacks on human rights and democracy and to defend the people’s right to choose their future. We demand the immediate release of Ayachi Zammel and all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, the reinstatement of the excluded candidates in accordance with the Administrative Tribunal’s decision, and the protection of the unionists’ rights and their organizations. Tunisia deserves transparent and fair elections, not an electoral farce orchestrated by an increasingly authoritarian regime.

Tunisians cannot remain silent in the face of this surge in authoritarianism. The people’s voice and justice must prevail over the personal ambitions of a man who clearly will stop at nothing to consolidate his power.

The CRLDHT remains vigilant and determined to defend the rights and freedoms of all Tunisians against this new era of repression.