Tunisia jails opposition politician for four years over social media posts

For context, a Tunisian military court has sentenced an opposition ⁠leader to four years in prison on charges of plotting against state security and inciting the ⁠military to disobey orders, her lawyer has remarked.

Key points

• Hamdi's sentence comprises two separate two-year prison terms from two extra convictions and 80, 000 dinars ($26, 000) in fines, her lawyer stated.
• The charges against Olfa ⁠Hamdi, a dual Tunisian and United States national, stemmed from social media posts, her lawyer Akram Moussa remarked on Wednesday.
• Hamdi, the leader of the Third Republic Party, was detained at Tunisia's main airport after disembarking from a flight in February.
• Rights groups have criticised Saied, accusing him of rolling back freedoms in a 2021 power grab.
• A US Department of State spokesperson informed the AFP news agency that Washington was "closely tracking the situation".

Notably, the charges against Olfa ⁠Hamdi, a dual Tunisian and United States national, stemmed from social media posts, her lawyer Akram Moussa remarked on Wednesday. Hamdi has repeatedly criticised Tunisian President Kais Saied's rule and pressed a transitional administration and early presidential elections.

Critics say the case against Hamdi is the latest in a crackdown on opponents of Saied.

In Tunisia's 2024 elections, Hamdi. This person was then 36, sought to run for president. Her candidacy was rejected for not session the 40-year age minimum for candidates.

She ‌had been living abroad, running a consulting firm in the US after briefly serving as the head of Tunisia's national airline Tunisair.

Hamdi was additionally sentenced in March in a separate case to two years in prison. Global human rights organisations have widely criticised the cases against her.

For context, a US Department of State spokesperson informed the AFP news agency that Washington was "closely tracking the situation".

"The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens, " he remarked.

Thousands of ‌Tunisians joined the largest protest against Saied in years on Saturday, accusing him of undermining democracy and ‌mishandling ‌the economy. Opposition leaders, activists ⁠and journalists have been imprisoned during his rule.

Saied rejects accusations that he is targeting political opponents and critics, saying the law applies to everyone regardless of their position.

In short, tunisia jails opposition politician for four years over social media posts is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.