Lotfi Mraihi, the Tunisian opposition leader of an alternative political party, who has revealed his intention to run in October’s presidential election, is being detained by police over alleged money laundering.
Politicians and local media said that Mr. Mraihi, who leads the Republican Union Party and is one of President Kais Saied’s most vocal critics, was arrested late on Wednesday.
It was announced earlier this week by a court spokesman in Tunis that the latter will be charged with money laundering as well as operating foreign bank accounts without authority from the central bank.
The arrest comes amid accusations by opposition parties whose leaders are mostly behind bars that Saied’s government mounts pressure on judges to chase after rivals ahead of 2024 race for presidency so as to facilitate his winning a second term.
Saied became president in 2019 and has not yet officially declared himself a candidate for the October 6th elections. However, he is widely expected to contest for reelection. He stated last year that he wouldn’t hand over power to “non-patriots”.
Abir Moussi, the leader of Free Constitutional Party and another key contender has been held since last year in relation to harm national security charges.
According to Moussi’s party she was put in prison so as not to run for elections against weaker candidates. This is not admitted by officials.
Safi Saeed, Nizar Chaari and Abd Ellatif Mekki are among other participants who are accused of fraud or money laundering.
Mondher Znaidi who appears high up on such list but lives in France also faces financial corruption allegations currently before courts.
The opposition argues that there won’t be any fair or credible elections until detained politicians are released and state media granted freedom from official control during polls campaigning.
In 2021, Saied took almost all powers away from government dissolved parliament through decree which many opposition figures termed it a coup. In Saied’s perspective, what he did was fully legal and necessary to address political elites’ many years of widespread corruption.
Last year, prominent critics of the president were arrested on charges of plotting against state security including businessmen, media figures and politicians.
