Tunisian police arrested Abir Moussi, the head of the Free Constitutional Party and a prominent opponent of President Kais Saied, on Tuesday as she insisted on filing a complaint at the registry office in the presidential palace in Carthage. Nabil Al-Aribi, Abir's lawyer, stated that what happened was a kidnapping in front of the presidential palace, and she is being held at the La Marsa police station.
Abir's assistant mentioned in a video recorded on Facebook that the opposition politician was abducted from in front of the Carthage Palace. Authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
Dozens of Moussi's angry supporters gathered outside the La Marsa police station, raising slogans against Saied, chanting "No fear, no terror, Abir is the daughter of the people" and "Down with Kais Saied." Police forces cordoned off the area to prevent the protesters from reaching the site.
Moussi is a supporter of the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted by massive protests in 2011. In recent months, Abir and her party have led regular protests against President Saied, continuously describing him as "the ruler by decree," asserting that she does not recognize his decisions as they are illegal. Earlier today, Abir stated in a recorded video that she went to the presidential registry to challenge a presidential decree, claiming this step was necessary for her to later file an appeal to the administrative court.
