The wife of Tunisian parliament member Yassine Ayari reported that plainclothes security forces arrested her husband on Friday. Ayari has been involved in a military court case since 2018 for allegedly disrespecting the military. The arrest came days after President Kais Saied decided to lift the immunity of all parliament members and freeze its activities. Ayari has previously criticized President Saied and accused him of staging a military coup after Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi on Sunday and suspended parliament for a month, claiming authority over the executive branch.
Sirin El-Fitouri, Ayari’s wife, told Reuters via phone, "About 20 men in plain clothes came to the house and arrested him when he came down to meet them." She added that he was forcibly taken while his mother was screaming. They asked them not to film on their phones. Reuters was unable to immediately obtain a comment from any security or judicial source. On Thursday, Saied stated that he is committed to supporting the freedoms and rights of Tunisians, while the United States urged him to return the country to a "democratic path." Major civil society groups have stated that he should adhere to the constitution.
