TUNIS, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Tunisian police detained opposition figure Olfa Hamdi on Sunday as he arrived at the country’s main airport, local media reported, in the latest move against critics of President Kais Saied.
According to reports, Hamdi, the leader of the Third Republic Party, was detained shortly after getting off the plane. She lives abroad and served as CEO of Tunisia’s national airline, Tunisair.
Hamdi has repeatedly criticized Saied’s rule and called for the formation of a transitional government and early presidential elections.
Opposition figures described the arrests as part of a wider crackdown on dissent as Tunisia grapples with deepening polarization since Saied took power in 2021, with critics denouncing the move as a coup.
Authorities had no immediate comment on the arrest. Reuters has been unable to contact Hamdi’s lawyer or any of her relatives.
In early February, police arrested a lawmaker known for mocking the president, in what the opposition said was an effort to silence critical voices.
Many opposition leaders are behind bars, as well as activists and journalists, and critics accuse Saied of turning Tunisia into a prison since 2021.
Saied denies the accusations, insisting he is not a dictator and that the law applies to everyone regardless of their position.
(Reporting by Tariq Amara; Editing by Christina Finch)
