Opposition protests as Tunisia resumes mass conspiracy trial

Scores of opposition supporters protested outside a Tunis court on Friday at the resumption of a trial of more than 40 politicians and other figures accused of conspiring against the state and President Kais Saied.

Journalists also rallied against orders barring them from the trial which campaign groups including Human Rights Watch have said amounts to a crackdown on dissent - an accusation dismissed by the government.

Some of the country's most prominent opposition politicians - including Nejib Chebbi, the leader of the main National Salvation Front opposition coalition - face a range of conspiracy charges in the trial that started in March and has been postponed twice.

More than 20 other people have fled abroad since being charged.

"The authorities want to criminalize the opposition. I wouldn't be surprised if heavy sentences are issued tonight," Chebbi told reporters before going into the court.

Authorities say the defendants, who also include business people and former officials including the former head of intelligence, Kamel Guizani, tried to destabilize the country and overthrow Saied.

Rights groups say the trial highlights Saied's full control over the judiciary since he dissolved parliament in 2021 and then the independent Supreme Judicial Council.

Activists and families of the defendants shouted "free the prisoners", "stop the farce" and other slogans.

"This authoritarian regime has nothing to offer Tunisians except more repression," the leader of the opposition Workers' Party, Hamma Hammami, said.

Some of the opposition defendants - including Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawahar Ben Mbrak, Abdelhamid Jlassi, Ridha Belhaj and Khyam Turki - have been in custody since being detained in 2023.