Tunisia: jailed Muslim Brotherhood leader begins hunger strike

Ennahda party leader Rached Ghannouchi embarked on a three-day hunger strike in solidarity with fellow jailed opposition figures in Tunisia, according to Asharq Al-Awsat and agencies, September 29.

The Ennahda Party, commonly known as the Muslim Brotherhood, is a social conservative party and a major opposition force in the North African country.

Ghannouchi was one of over twenty dissenting political voices to be detained in 2023 alone. The octogenarian was arrested in May on the charge of plotting against the security of the state. He was handed a one year sentence.

A party statement confirmed that the Muslim Brotherhood Leader would take part in the strike for three days to protest an “unjust imprisonment” of himself and other opposition figures.

Similarly, Jawher Ben Mbarek, another opposition figure, announced that he would begin a hunger strike to voice his opposition to what he perceives to be a politically motivated arrest.

Kais Saied, The Tunisian President since 2019, has previously claimed that his critics are criminals and traitors.

A man under pressure, he and his government have failed to tackle social and economic issues which is why some argue that he is ramping up his anti-democratic stance.

The North African country’s Ministries of Justice, Interior and Technology stated in August that measures had been set out to unmask the identity of internet users who criticise government officials, including the sharing of posts scrutinising officials and those who spread “fake news”.

The move was seen as another method by his government to target political dissidents as his approval ratings tumble.

ASHARQ AL-AWSAT

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