Tunisian police detained opposition figure Olfa Hamdi at Tunis-Carthage International Airport on Sunday, marking the latest arrest of a critic of President Kais Saied. Hamdi, leader of the Third Republic party and former CEO of national carrier Tunisair, was taken into custody shortly after arriving on an international flight.

Hamdi has been a vocal opponent of Saied's rule since he assumed sweeping powers in 2021, which critics have denounced as a coup. She has repeatedly called for a transitional government and early presidential elections. Opposition figures describe her detention as part of an escalating crackdown on dissent in Tunisia, where many opposition leaders, activists, and journalists are currently imprisoned.

Authorities have made no official comment on the arrest, and Reuters has been unable to contact Hamdi's lawyer or relatives. This incident follows the recent arrest of a parliament member known for mocking the president, which opposition groups characterized as an effort to silence critics. Saied maintains he is not a dictator and that the law applies equally to all citizens, but critics argue his administration has transformed Tunisia into a virtual prison for political opponents.