Prison sentences of up to 66 years handed to politicians in Tunisia

A court in Tunisia has handed out prison sentences ranging from 13 to 66 years for leading opposition politicians.

As reported by AP on April 20th, 40 people were sentenced for “conspiring against the state” in the culmination of  atrial that has exposed Tunisia’s democratic defecit.

The trial began in March of this year but finally culminated on April 18th.

The accused include former diplomats, business leaders, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders.

On February 22nd, leader of the Ennhada Party, Rached Ghannouchi, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being arrested in 2023 for conspiring against the government.

According to lawyers, the defendants were found guilty of conspiring against state security as well as belonging to a terrorist group, with some trials being held in specific terrorist courts.

Lawyers also spoke of their confusion at many of the charges as it was unclear as to how they had been determined on, especially for those defendants who had been detained arbitrarily.

The trial was described as a “sham” by the opposition Ennhada Party after some trials were held remotely, in the absence of the defendants despite their categorical rejection of such a move being made.

The party went on to argue that the imprisonment of politicians is a deflection tactic used in order to distract the population away from the failure to improve economic and social conditions in the country.

However, President Kais Saied insists that those on trial are “traitors” and has repeatedly defended the state of democracy in Tunisia.

Saied won last year’s election by a landslide, gaining 91% of the vote share in an election that saw just 29% of the population turnout.

Opposition figures, including politicians such as Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitution Party, have been on hunger strike in prison in Tunisia for long periods over the past months.

Despite civilian protests and hunger strikes from the defendants, the Tunisian authorities have moved forward with their convictions.

AP, Maghrebi