Thousands of people protested in the capital, Tunis, on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Tunisian President Kais Saied. They called for freedom of expression, the protection of civil rights and a lower cost of living.
The protest was organised jointly by the country’s powerful labour union, the UGTT, together with civil society groups and political parties. Marchers made their way along the main streets of Tunis, chanting slogans against the government, demanding freedom of expression and civil rights, and calling on President Saied to resign.
Leaders, activists and supporters of several parties, including the People’s Movement, the Ennahda Movement and the National Salvation Front, joined the march.
At a rally in front of the Municipal Theatre after the march, UGTT secretary-general Salaheddine Selmi said that if the government closed the door to dialogue, the streets and squares would become the main stage of protest. He called on Tunisians to unite to defend their rights and freedoms.
“People’s rights are being violated in this country,” Selmi said angrily. “Tunisia cannot be allowed to be ruled by one person. The country cannot be handed to a government that does not listen to the people.”
Mounir Jelassi, a secondary school teacher, explained why he had joined. First, he said, freedom of expression was shrinking day by day, with tight restrictions placed on basic freedoms. Second, there was the continuing economic crisis: prices of essentials were rising so fast that ordinary people were finding it hard to live a normal life.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report