Solidarity Strike Against “Injustice and Abuse”
In a significant act of political defiance, several prominent Tunisian opposition figures have joined a hunger strike to support jailed politician Jawhar Ben Mbarek, whose own protest has now surpassed a week. This move signals a dramatic escalation in the standoff between President Kais Saied‘s government and its critics, highlighting what they call the severe democratic backsliding in the nation that sparked the Arab Spring.
The new participants include veteran politician Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, head of the main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front. In a statement, the coalition framed the hunger strike as a “battle for dignity” against the “injustice and abuse” targeting political prisoners. They argue their protest is not just for one man but for the nation’s democratic freedoms, which they believe are being systematically eroded.
Who is Jawhar Ben Mbarek?
The protest centers around Jawhar Ben Mbarek, a leading figure in the National Salvation Front and a fierce critic of President Saied. He was arrested in February 2023 along with approximately 20 other political opponents, journalists, and activists.
Ben Mbarek faces serious accusations of “conspiring against state security.” However, his supporters and international human rights organizations have widely dismissed these charges as politically motivated and designed to silence dissent. His decision to begin a hunger strike from his cell is a desperate plea for justice and a protest against his detention.
Context: President Saied’s Consolidation of Power
This political crisis has deep roots, tracing back to July 2021. Citing political and economic turmoil, President Saied invoked emergency powers to dismiss the government, suspend parliament, and begin ruling by decree. While he claimed the move was necessary to save Tunisia, opponents labeled it a constitutional coup.
Since then, Saied has pushed through a new constitution that heavily concentrates power in the executive branch and has overseen a sweeping crackdown on critics. The arrests of figures like Ben Mbarek have sent a chilling message across Tunisia‘s political landscape, effectively shrinking the space for open debate and opposition.
A Final Act of Defiance
The hunger strike is a last-resort measure, a physical manifestation of a political argument when other avenues like parliament and the courts have been constrained. It is a powerful, non-violent form of resistance intended to draw both domestic and international attention to the plight of political prisoners and the state of Tunisian democracy.
As these opposition figures forgo food, they aim to galvanize a public struggling with economic hardship and political uncertainty. The critical question remains whether this profound act of self-deprivation will spark a wider movement or fade without bringing change, leaving the future of Tunisia‘s democratic experiment hanging in the balance.
