Al Jazeera correspondents
Published On 7/7/2026
Tunisia – The Tunisian National Coalition Party denounced the prevention of a meeting that it intended to organize in the Jendouba governorate in the north of the country, considering that the decision reflects the escalation of restrictions on political activity in the country.
The party said, in a statement issued yesterday, Monday, that “today not only was a party meeting prevented, but citizens’ right to listen to a different political opinion was also prevented,” considering that the ban “confirms that restrictions on political work have become a reality that is expanding day after day, despite respect for legal procedures and the provision of official media.”
In a statement to Al Jazeera Net, the party’s Secretary-General and former minister, Naji Jalloul, said that what happened “brings to mind the practices of the dictatorship era,” and he believed that “even during the rule of the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, legal parties were not prevented from organizing their activities.”
Legal right
Jalloul added that the party fulfilled all legal procedures and informed the regional authorities of the location and date of the meeting, “however, that was not enough,” noting that party members “were prevented even from meeting inside cafes.”
The National Coalition Party affirmed, in its statement, that it will continue to defend its right to practice its peaceful political activity, considering that “freedom of political action is not a privilege granted by authority, but rather a right guaranteed by law.” He added, “The authority may prevent a meeting today, but it will not prevent Tunisians from seeing their reality, nor will it prevent the questions posed by the economic and social conditions, including high prices, unemployment, and a decline in services.”
In a related context, the “Rio” cultural space in the capital, in turn, raised concerns about what it described as the “siege” it is exposed to due to its independence.
The director of the space, Habib Belhadi, said in media statements that the independent cultural institution faces pressures that threaten the continuity of its activity, considering that the issue “is not related to an administrative dispute, but rather to the future of independent culture and freedom of creativity in Tunisia.” He added that the pressures imposed on independent cultural spaces “are inseparable from a broader climate affecting civil society and culture,” attributing this to “the independence of the Rio space.”
“Higher instructions”
This space is known for hosting political seminars and meetings organized by opposition parties in recent months, in addition to its cultural and artistic activities.
His administration had announced, in a statement, that it had been prevented from hosting a number of official cultural events during the year 2026, including the Carthage Music Days, the Carthage Theatrical Days, and the Carthage Cinema Days, based on “instructions issued by higher authorities,” according to the text of the statement.
She added that this decision came despite the Foundation’s investment of more than one million dinars (about 338 thousand dollars) in modernizing the space, which included renovating the hall and seats, installing a new air conditioning system, and developing the lighting, sound and digital broadcasting systems, making it “fulfilling the required technical and regulatory conditions.”
So far, there has been no comment from the Tunisian authorities regarding what was stated in the National Coalition Party’s statement or the accusations raised by the Rio space administration.
