突尼斯，10月17日 - 周六，数千名突尼斯人参加了多年来针对总统凯斯·赛义德的最大规模抗议，指责他破坏民主和处理经济不善，对他统治的挑战日益加剧。
TUNIS, Oct 17 - Thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years on Saturday, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy in a growing challenge to his rule.
此次示威由强大的突尼斯总工会（UGTT）和民间社会团体领导，正值突尼斯正面临经济危机、公共服务恶化、反复出现的水电停摆以及药品和必需品短缺。
The demonstration, led by the powerful UGTT labour union and civil society groups, comes as Tunisia grapples with an economic crisis, worsening public services, recurring water and power cuts, and shortages of medicines and essential goods.
2021年，赛义德夺取广泛权力，解散议会，解雇数十名法官，并开始以法令方式统治，反对者将这些举措描述为政变。
In 2021, Saied seized broad powers, dissolved parliament, dismissed dozens of judges and began ruling by decree, moves opponents described as a coup.
人权组织表示，他加强了对民间社会、记者和反对派人士的镇压。赛义德否认这些指控，称他不是独裁者，并指责他的对手制造经济危机以煽动社会动荡。
Rights groups say he has intensified a crackdown on civil society, journalists and opposition figures. Saied rejects those allegations, saying he is not a dictator, and has accused his opponents of engineering economic crises to fuel social unrest.
在罕见的团结表现中，来自各政治光谱的反对党与律师、医生、记者、失业者和民间社会团体一起，沿着哈比卜·布尔吉巴大道游行，这条大道是2011年抗议活动的焦点，有助于引发阿拉伯之春起义。
In a rare show of unity, opposition parties from across the political spectrum joined lawyers, doctors, journalists, unemployed people and civil society groups in marching along Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a focal point of the 2011 protests that helped trigger the Arab Spring uprisings.
此次抗议对赛义德构成重大挑战，多年来的分歧削弱了反对派动员大规模人群的能力。数百名警察被部署在首都各地。
The protest poses a significant challenge to Saied after years of divisions weakened the opposition's ability to mobilise large crowds. Hundreds of police were deployed across the capital.
抗议者高呼：“不惧怕，权力属于人民”和“监狱满了，人民饿着”。
Protesters chanted: "No fear, power belongs to the people" and "Prisons are full, people are hungry".
他们要求释放赛义德的批评者，并结束他们所称的对工会权利的攻击。其他人举着横幅，表达对失业和污染的不满。
They called for the release of Saied's critics and demanded an end to what they described as attacks on trade union rights. Others carried banners expressing frustration over unemployment and pollution.
“够了！国家正在崩溃。我们遭受停电和断水，一危机接一危机”，来自距突尼斯约250公里（155英里）南部的斯法克斯的抗议者亚辛·加尔塞利说。
"Enough is enough! The country is collapsing. We suffer from power and water cuts, and one crisis after another", said Yassine Gharseli, a protester from Sfax, about 250 km (155 miles) south of Tunis.
“我从斯法克斯来这里为我的自由而战，我不会放弃，即使我成为这个国家最后的声音”，他补充道。
"I came from Sfax to stand up for my freedom and I'm not ready to give up, even if I become the last voice in the country," he added.