Republic Day: members of Coordination call for release of ‘political detainees’

Tunis: The Coordination of Families of "political detainees" held a protest, on Thursday, to mark the Republic Day. Participants started from the Square of Maya Jeribi in the city center, chanted slogans demanding the release of "political detainees," ensuring freedom as well as repealing Decree-Law 54. A security barrier was set up near the Municipal Theater of Tunis to separate demonstrators from participants in another rallies supporting President Kais Saied. Monia Bahim, wife of detainee Abdelhamid Jelassi, former leader of the Ennahdha movement, stated that the Coordination chose July 25th to highlight that the country is governed by a republican regime that guarantees rights and freedoms, emphasizing their commitment to freeing political detainees. In her remarks, wife of Secretary General of Al Joumhouri Issam Chebbi, spoke of the suffering endured by the detainees' families. Ezzedine Hazgui, father of Jawhar Ben Mbarek, echoed that this suffering has persisted for over a year and a half, stressing that the Coordination will continue to take to the streets whenever possible to make the families' voices heard. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse