Tunisian police arrest journalist who accused Saied of asking army to shut down union headquarters

Tunisian police on Saturday arrested journalist Salah Attia, who said on Al Jazeera that President Kais Saied had asked the army to close the headquarters of the powerful UGTT labour union, a witness told Reuters. There was no official confirmation of the arrest.

Attia said on Saturday that President Kais Saied, who has been facing growing opposition since seizing executive power last summer, asked the army to close the headquarters of the powerful union and put its leaders under house arrest, but that the army had refused.

The leader of Tunisia's powerful UGTT union said this week that it was being "targeted" by authorities after it refused to participate in talks on a new constitution called by President Kais Saied last month.

UGTT leader Noureddine Taboubi gave no details but sources close to the union said there were fears that Saied would use the judiciary to target the union after he sacked dozens of judges last week in a move seen as aimed at consolidating his one-man rule.