Tunisian Authorities Arrest Opposition Leader

Image copyright: Houcemmzoughi [via Wikimedia Commons]

The Facts

  • Tunisian police on Tuesday arrested Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Destourian Party Abir Moussi and a prominent critic of Pres. Kais Saied, at the entrance of the Tunisian presidential palace.

  • Moussi had gone to the presidential palace to file an appeal over local elections slated for later this year. However, her lawyer claims the police forcibly took her to a suburban detention center.


The Spin

Narrative A

Abir Moussi is the latest victim of Tunisia's despot, who continues to target and persecute his political opponents. Her arrest is far from an isolated incident, as many of Saied's critics have been detained over the past few years under suspicious circumstances. Saied took control of Tunisia in a coup and is ruling with an authoritarian approach.

Narrative B

President Saied has been placed in a difficult situation to revive a country in crisis, and he has taken necessary steps to protect Tunisia's sovereignty and prevent the North African nation from falling into chaos. Many nefarious actors are seeking to undermine his administration and tear down Tunisia, and Saied's strong leadership has protected the country from these bad actors.