Tunisia Roundup: Journalist arrested, foreign investments, international visits
President visits Iran
President Kais Saied of Tunisia has embarked on a historic visit to Tehran, marking the first instance of a Tunisian leader visiting Iran. According to the Tehran Times, the unexpected journey was motivated by President Saied's intention to honour the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who tragically perished in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran on Sunday. Previously, President Saied had met with his Iranian counterpart during various summits, where they agreed to enhance cooperation and strengthen the relationship between Iran and Tunisia.
Support for Saied amid lawyers' strike
Tunisia protestors rallied in support of President Kais Saied amid a lawyers' strike prompted by the violent arrest of lawyer Sonia Dahmani. International organisations and foreign authorities have expressed concerns over the arrests, with President Saied speaking out against foreign interference. The strike and protests were in response to the raid of the Bar Association offices in Tunis and the arrest of Dahmani, who was charged with distributing false information and disrupting public order as reported by Jurist News. The protestors gathered in front of the Municipal Theatre of Tunis carrying banners condemning foreign interference, and the presence of migrants, and affirming Tunisia’s independence and sovereignty.
Journalist arrested over social media posts
Tunisian journalist Houssem Hajlaoui, co-founder of the independent news website Inkyfada, was arrested over old social media posts from 2020-2023. The Committee to Protect Journalists is calling for his immediate and unconditional release, citing concerns over the government's targeting of journalists and civil society figures. Hajlaoui's arrest is part of a wider crackdown on independent media and civil society in Tunisia.
Foreign investments soar
Foreign direct investments (FDI) in Tunisia reached 516.8 million dinars during the period, marking a 27.7 percent increase year-on-year. However, portfolio investments fell by 98 percent, totalling just 600,000 dinars, reports Azad News Agency. By sector, FDI in manufacturing led with 250.5 million dinars, followed by the energy sector with 176.9 million dinars, the services sector with 84.5 million dinars, and the agricultural sector with 4.9 million dinars, according to FIPA.
IMARS load training exercise
The U.S. Air Force and Army conducted a joint training exercise with the Tunisian Air Force to practice loading the M142 HIMARS rocket system onto a C-130J Super Hercules. The exercise took place at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, involving Tunisian and U.S. Air Force loadmasters and U.S. Army HIMARS personnel. According to Dvids, the training aimed to ensure precision and safety in the loading process, as the HIMARS system can be transported aboard aircraft for rapid deployment. The exercise was part of the larger African Lion exercise, which focuses on strengthening readiness and interoperability among participating nations.
