Tunisia: Opposition leader undertakes hunger strike
A hunger and medication strike was undertaken by Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Islamist Ennahda party in Tunisia, Middle East Monitor and agencies report on August 10th.
Ghannouchi – according to his legal team – began the strike on August 6th as a protest against the “isolation and deprivation of his most basic rights” he faced at a hospital.
The opposition party leader has frequently gone on hunger strike to express his political opinions, most recently a 3-day strike to show solidarity with Gaza.
In a statement made on August 10th via Ghannouchi’s Facebook page, his defence team stated that since his move to a hospital on July 29th, the 85-year-old has been cut off from the world.
They state that “his lawyers and family” have been prevented from visiting or “communicating with him” and, despite requests, have been given no “information about his health condition”.
The Ennahda leader’s team argue his “basic rights and physical safety” are being violated and his isolation is “inhuman abuse”.
Ghannouchi was arrested on April 17th 2023 and charged with “incitement against state security.”
Several prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life in prison were awarded to him for other crimes, including the formation of “a terrorist alliance”, according to Al Jazeera.
Eleven others were given life sentences for terrorism related charges alongside Ghannouchi.
The imprisoned politician has rejected all charges, claiming they are politically motivated.
In response to his accusations, the Tunisian authorities strongly deny political interference and assert that he has been prosecuted on legitimate criminal charges.
According to many opposition figures and critics of the government, the imprisonment of Ghannouchi and other political figures serves to reduce opposition to the Tunisian president.
The former parliamentary speaker’s defence team say Tunisian authorities are “fully responsible” for any “serious complications” that may threaten Ghannouchi’s “health and life”. They demanded that “his lawyers and family be allowed to visit him and check on his health condition.”
The Tunisian government have not immediately responded to a request for comment on the statement.
Middle East Monitor, Al Jazeera, Maghrebi.org
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