Tunisian opposition leader handed second 22 year jail sentence
On February 5th Jailed Tunisian opposition leader, Rached Ghannouchi was sentenced to another prison term in a series of sentences given to political figures and journalists.
According to Middle East Eye, 83-year-old Ghannouchi who is leader of the Ennahda party has been imprisoned since 2023, he was sentenced to a further 22 years in prison, said lawyers.
Other prominent officials sentenced include deposed prime minister Hichem Mechichi, who was sentenced to 35 years and journalist Chahrazed Akacha to 27. Mohamed Ali Aroui, former interior ministry spokesperson, was given 16 years while Ennahda official Said Ferjani was sentenced to 13.
The case against these and many others is related to Instalingo, a digital content creation firm that came under heavy scrutiny when Tunisian President Kais Saied came to power in 2021.
The charges against them include “undermining the integrity of Tunisian territory” and “joining a gang that works to change the form of the state and commit hostilities against the president”, said a lawyer on the defence team.
When the trial began, Ghannouchi refused to appear before a judge, protesting against “the absence of an independent judiciary”, said one of Ghannouchi’s lawyers.
Zied Dabbar, head of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, spoke out against the “heavy and unjust” sentencing of journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek.
Dabbar said this “proves that the judiciary has become a sword hanging over the heads of journalists”.
The Ennahda party denounced these arrests, describing them as a “political” process.
Ennahda, the Islamic democratic party was previously the biggest force in Tunisian parliament until Saied dissolved it in 2021.
Both Tunisian and international rights groups expressed concern on the status of political freedoms in Tunisia since Saied came to power.
All this came just 6 days after Saied extended his emergency presidential powers until the end of 2025.
Middle East Eye, MSN, Maghrebi
