A French student, Victor Dupont, who was detained in Tunisia for 27 days, has returned to Paris following extensive diplomatic discussions. Dupont, a 27-year-old Ph.D. student at Aix-Marseille University, specializing in research on social movements and Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, was arrested in Tunis on Oct. 19 along with two other French nationals.
His arrest, despite not being a known critic of the government, raised international concerns about the safety of foreigners in Tunisia, where rights and freedoms have faced restrictions under President Kais Saied. Dupont's supporters, including academic associations, emphasized that his research posed no security risks and criticized the unfounded charges against him.
Associations representing academics working in the Middle East and North Africa condemned the use of the military court system in Dupont's case, highlighting that Tunisia's government had previously approved his research.
President Saied, who has capitalized on populist sentiments, has rolled back many of the democratic gains achieved during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011. Tunisia and France, with longstanding political and economic ties, have been closely connected since Tunisia gained independence from French rule.
France, as Tunisia's top trade partner, plays a crucial role in managing migration from North Africa to Europe. French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, engaged in discussions with Tunisian authorities to secure Dupont's release. While Dupont has returned to France, the other individuals arrested alongside him were previously released.
