Tunisian judge to free opposition leader

Chaima Issa, a prominent opponent of Tunisia's President Kais Saied, is to be released after being arrested in February on suspicion of conspiracy, her lawyer Dalila Mbarek told Reuters.

Issa, who has yet to face any trial, was expected to leave prison later on Friday if the public prosecutors' office does not appeal against the judge's decision, Mbarek added.

She is a prominent leader in the Salvation Front, which is the main opposition coalition to Saied, organising protests against him since he seized additional powers in 2021 and shut down the elected parliament.

Judges have detained more than 20 political, judicial, media and business figures with opposition ties over recent months in a crackdown, accusing them of plotting against state security.

The main opposition parties have decried the arrests as politically motivated and rights groups have urged authorities to free those detained.

Saied has described the detainees as terrorists, criminals and traitors, and says judges who free them would be abetting their alleged crimes.

Saied has moved to rule by decree, a step described as a coup by opposition. He says his moves are legal and necessary to save the country from years of chaos and corruption.