• The National Salvation Front (FSN) has called for a protest at 09:00 (local time) on March 4 outside the Court of First Instance located on Tunis’ Bab Bnet Boulevard.
• The protest is being organized to denounce the slated trial of “political leaders and human rights activists” charged with conspiracy.

1. The so-called “conspiracy against the state” case reportedly refers to the detention of several opposition figures in 2023, including politicians, lawyers, and media personnel, who have been charged with conspiring against state security. Opposition parties and human rights organizations have condemned these detentions which they perceive as politically motivated.
2. The upcoming March 4 court session is the first hearing in this trial, despite the detention of these individuals two years prior, thus rendering the upcoming event notable. This is especially given the seriousness of the charges, which reportedly carry the death penalty as a possible outcome. Discourse relating to this trial has therefore gained traction, particularly amid reports that the detainees will not be physically present at the session, fueling concerns regarding the fairness of the pending trial.
3. FORECAST: The FSN periodically organizes anti-government protests to denounce perceived politically motivated trials, typically drawing a turnout in the low to mid-dozens. However, the upcoming demonstration may see increased participation due to the significance of the upcoming court session and the politically charged environment. Demonstrators are expected to engage in anti-government sloganeering. A bolstered security presence outside the Court of First Instance is therefore likely. Security forces are liable to intervene if protesters are perceived as behaving in an unruly manner. Therefore, the risk of unrest or clashes between protesters and security personnel cannot be entirely ruled out. Traffic disruptions can be expected during the morning hours around the protest vicinity.

Those operating or residing in Tunis during the morning hours of March 4 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance and allot for disruptions around the Court of First Instance due to the slated protest.