Tunisia's President suggests 'blatant interference' after criticism

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Tuesday described "comments and statements by foreign parties” as unacceptable... and that they “constitute blatant interference in Tunisia's internal affairs," according to a statement on the presidency's Facebook page. Earlier this month, a mass trial involving around 40 defendants, including well-known opposition figures, lawyers and business people, ended with a Tunisian court handing out sentences of between 13 and 66 years to defendants accused of "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group”. The United Nations and Western countries including France and Germany criticized the trial.