News|PoliticsTunisia arrests top opposition leader Nejib Chebbi in widening crackdownAhmed Nejib Chebbi is among dozens of government critics facing years-long prison terms after ‘sham trial’.

Tunisian law enforcement has detained Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, a prominent opposition leader, as reported by his family. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown on dissent against President Kais Saied's administration in Tunisia. Chebbi was apprehended at his residence on Thursday, shortly after receiving a 12-year sentence for charges related to conspiracy against the state, a trial criticized for being politically charged.

Chebbi is a co-founder of the National Salvation Front (FSN), a major opposition coalition in Tunisia. He, along with numerous other opposition figures, lawyers, and human rights advocates, has been targeted for arrest and prosecution recently. The Tunisian political environment has been described as increasingly oppressive by observers.

Notably, Chebbi had previously criticized the judgments against him and others as lacking legal foundation. He accused the justice system of being influenced by political authorities for retaliatory purposes against opponents.

Amnesty International has labeled the proceedings as a "sham trial" marked by human rights abuses. The organization calls for the immediate annulment of the convictions and the release of those detained solely for exercising their human rights. Similarly, the European Parliament has urged Tunisia to free individuals detained for their expression rights, including political prisoners and human rights defenders.

However, President Saied has dismissed these interventions as unwarranted interference, asserting Tunisia's adherence to rights and freedoms.

The National Salvation Front has condemned the government's actions as a politically motivated campaign against dissenting voices, asserting that the trials were conducted without due process to suppress political activism.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.