Tunisia: President Kais Saied's critics arrested in crackdown

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, President Kais Saied says he is acting to prevent chaos in Tunisia

Police in Tunisia have detained the head of an independent radio station on the third day of a wave of arrests of opposition politicians and activists.

On Monday, officers raided the house of Noureddine Boutar of Mosa茂que FM, which has criticised President Kais Saied.

Since Saturday, numerous public figures - including an opposition politician, a prominent businessman, two judges and a former diplomat - have been held.

Mr Saied says he wants to save the north African nation from chaos.

The country's biggest opposition party Ennahda has described the detentions as the "kidnapping of Saied's opponents".

Many Tunisians who supported Mr Saied when he came to power in 2019 have recently turned against the president.

In 2021, Mr Saied sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and pushed through a constitution enshrining his one-man rule.

The new constitution replaced one drafted soon after the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, which saw Tunisia overthrow late dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

It gives the head of state full executive control and supreme command of the army.

Last month, thousands of protesters rallied in the capital Tunis, demanding the resignation of Mr Saied's government.

Video caption, Watch: Protesters push through police barricades in the capital, Tunis