Attorneys demand strike in response to arrest of fellow lawyer | Global News

In a shocking turn of events, hooded police officers raided Tunisia’s bar association headquarters and arrested a prominent lawyer, Sonia Dahmani, sparking outrage and condemnation from human rights defenders and civil society organizations.

Dahmani, a vocal critic of the government, was taken into custody after making sarcastic remarks about Tunisia on a local television program. She was charged with distributing false information and disrupting public order under the controversial Decree 54, an anti-fake news law that has been used to target critics of President Kais Saied.

The Tunisian Lawyers Council has called for a nationwide general strike in solidarity with Dahmani, highlighting the growing concern over the government’s crackdown on dissenting voices.

The arrest of Dahmani at the bar association headquarters, a symbol of power in Tunisia, has raised alarm among activists and lawyers, who see it as a blatant attack on freedom of speech and the legal profession.

This incident comes on the heels of the arrest of Saadia Mosbah, a black Tunisian activist, and the detention of television presenter Borhen Bssais and columnist Mourad Zeghidi, all of whom have been critical of the government’s actions.

The Tunisian General Labour Union has joined the chorus of condemnation, denouncing the arrests as a prelude to establishing a state of violations and tyranny in the country.

As tensions continue to rise in Tunisia, human rights defenders and civil society organizations are calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the government’s crackdown on dissent.