Summary:

On 3 October 2023, vocal critic of President Kais Saied, Abir Moussi was arrested near the Presidential Palace in Carthage. 

She was transferred to the La Goulette police station where a group of her supporters gathered to protest. She was charged with “processing personal data, obstructing the right to work, and intending to cause chaos.” 

Moussi is the head of the Free Constitutional Party and was a strong supporter of former President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted from power during the 2011 revolution in Tunisia.  

Moussi has become known for her outspoken and occasionally theatrical efforts at political opposition that pre-date President Saied’s dissolution of parliament. Moussi has a history of strong opposition to political Islam, particularly the Ennahdha party which held significant political power in the post-revolutionary period. 

Outlook:  

In the context of the current string of detentions of political opposition figures in Tunisia, Abir Moussi’s arrest is an alarming development. 

Initial reporting indicated that Moussi’s arrest was a result of her efforts to enter the Presidential Palace without permission. This would point to her arrest being a response to her actions rather than a result of an investigation linked to other detainees held under charges of “conspiracy against the state.” 

Moussi’s history of strong opposition to Ennahdha would also suggest that her arrest may be unrelated to other recent cases which involve current or former Ennahdha officials. 

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