Muslim Brotherhood leader’s arrest extended by Tunisian regime
Opposition leader to the Tunisian government’s regime, Rachad Ghannouchi faces an extended arrest, according to Asharq al-Aswat and agencies.
Ghannouchi faces an additional four months in prison after a Tunisian court declined all demands for Mr Ghannouchi’s release on the 8th February.
A number of politicians and lawyers, including former Prime Minister, Ali Laarayedh and former Justice Minister, Noureddine Bhiri have spent almost a year in prison having faced charges of terrorism and conspiracy against state security.
Ghannouchi and his son-in-law, Rafik Abdessalam were sentenced to three more years in prison on the 1st February for allegedly receiving foreign funding for the 2019 Ennahda election campaign.
Although the Ennahda Movement claim to have never received any foreign funding, the party were ordered to pay a fine of $1.17 million to the Tunisian government.
The Movement accused President Saied of fabricating allegations against anyone opposing the totalitarian regime and controlling Tunisia’s judiciary.
International human rights groups criticised the president’s penchant for imprisonment as he arrested around ten people per week in February 2023.
READ: Tunisian opposition leader gets suspended jail term
On 3rd January, Al Jazeera journalist and father of four, Samir Sassi, was arrested by Tunis “anti-terrorism” personnel in his home under the orders of Tunisia’s autocratic leader.
In July 2021, President Saied declared his desire to “cleanse” Tunisia’s political arena with legal means, and is undoubtedly doing all he can to prevent anyone from interfering with his power grab.
Before President Saied suspended parliament in 2021, Ghannouchi was the speaker of parliament and was highly regarded as “one of the most prominent advocates for democracy in the Arab world,” by signatories from 18 countries across Europe and North America in an open letter.
AA/DPA
