Tunisia protests target Saied over water shortages

Hundreds of Tunisians demonstrated in the capital on Thursday against President Kais Saied, power cuts and drinking water shortages as the country faced high temperatures.

Protesters held signs referring to “thirst” and “darkness” and chanted against government repression. They also called for the release of “political detainees”.

Former lawmaker Samir Ben Amor told AFP that Tunisians had no water, no electricity and no freedom. Veteran opposition leftist Ezzeddine Hazgui said Tunisia was in a “catastrophic situation” and accused Saied of ignoring the country.

The Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights said it had recorded hundreds of protests across Tunisia in recent weeks, mostly against drinking water shortages and power cuts.

Tunisia emerged as the only democracy of the Arab Spring demonstrations of 2011, but rights groups have criticised a rollback on freedoms since Saied’s sweeping power grab in 2021. Dozens of Saied critics have been prosecuted or jailed, including on terrorism-related charges and under a 2022 law enacted by the president to prohibit “spreading false news”.