US Democrats concerned about wave of arrests in Tunisia

American politicians say there is a 'stark acceleration in Tunisia’s autocratic consolidation'

Tunisia's President Kais Saied triggered outrage with his claim that the presence of sub-Saharan migrants in the country was part of a plot to transform its demography. AP

US Congressional Democrats have written an open letter to the Secretary of State expressing concern over Tunisian President Kais Saied’s alleged clampdown on perceived political opponents in the country following a wave of arrests over recent weeks.

In a letter sent to Antony Blinken on Monday, 20 House Democrats expressed alarm over what they described as “a stark acceleration in Tunisia’s autocratic consolidation”.

Since mid-February, Tunisian authorities have carried out a wave of arrests against activists, former ministers, former MPs, senior political figures, judges, businessmen and media professionals, the letter said.

“We are particularly alarmed by credible reports that Tunisian authorities have charged individuals with conspiring against the state security and plotting to overthrow the government under the Anti-Terrorism Law for meeting US diplomats,” it added.

The Congresspersons said that authorities conducted the arrests in breach of due process, denied detainees contact with their families for 48 hours and used excessive force during an arrest that led to injuries to at least one detainee.

“Not only do these alarming developments and Tunisia’s continued autocratic consolidation endanger the country’s stability in a period of deep economic insecurity, they raise serious concerns about the future of the US-Tunisia relationship,” the letter said.

Mr Saied has previously said he rejected “foreign interference and harm to the country's sovereignty” after State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US was concerned over the arrests.

“We are able to diagnose our problems,” Mr Saied said in February, accusing some of those detained of trying to hike prices and wanting to fuel a social crisis.

The UN Human Rights Office also called for the immediate release of those detained.

In Monday's letter, the US politicians also condemned Mr Saied’s “repugnant racist and xenophobic remarks” that undocumented sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia were part of a conspiracy to change the country’s demographic make-up.

In the aftermath of Mr Saied's comments, authorities stepped up their arrests of undocumented migrants, prompting others to flee the country.

In February, Mr Saied said “urgent measures” were needed to tackle irregular migration and claimed, without evidence, that there was “a criminal plot” under way “to change Tunisia's demographic make-up”.

Since then, black people in Tunisia, citizens and migrants alike, have reported being attacked, mugged and abused due to their skin colour.

Police have also arrested dozens of “illegal migrants”.

The African Union condemned Mr Saied’s remarks and warned against making “racialised hate speech”.

The AU Commission said it had called Tunisia’s representative for an urgent meeting to register “deep shock and concern at the form and substance of the statement targeting fellow Africans”.