A Tunisian judge has issued severe sentences to several notable politicians and at least one prominent journalist, actions that have drawn criticism from a media union and key opposition groups. They view these sentences as part of a broader effort to silence critics of President Kais Saied.
Among those sentenced is Rached Ghannouchi, an 83-year-old opposition figure and co-founder of the Ennahda party, who has been imprisoned for nearly two years. He received an additional 22-year prison term for charges related to state security, having chosen to boycott the trial that led to his sentencing.
The Ennahda movement has labeled the trial as politically charged, asserting that the charges serve merely as revenge, infringe upon fundamental human rights and freedoms, and compromise the integrity of the judiciary. In a parallel statement, the National Salvation Front, a coalition that includes Ennahda, claimed that the combined sentences handed out to bloggers, former officials, and politicians amounted to over 760 years, signaling a troubling phase for Tunisia’s judiciary, which has lost significant authority to Saied’s administration.
Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, a leader within the coalition, described the court as increasingly functioning as a mechanism for meting out harsh penalties against political figures.
The sentencing relates to a case from 2019 concerning a media firm that offered assistance to Ennahda during that year’s presidential elections. Those charged face allegations of defamation, spreading false information, money laundering, and illegally accepting foreign funds, among others. Human rights organizations have denounced these cases as tools for targeting those opposing Saied. Since being re-elected last October, Saied has maintained significant control while many of his opponents remain imprisoned.
In a statement released Thursday, Ennahda expressed that these recent rulings regress Tunisia to a time the populace aimed to escape through the revolution that led to the removal of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
The aftermath of the revolution initially positioned Tunisia as a beacon of democracy, featuring a reformed constitution and earning a Nobel Peace Prize for political harmony. However, authoritarian tendencies have resurfaced since Saied came to power in 2019, with actions including the suspension of parliament, constitutional alterations to strengthen his position, and the arrest of dissenters including politicians and journalists.
Additionally, the court sentenced several Ennahda politicians in absentia, including former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, who received a 35-year sentence tied to similar state security allegations as those against Ghannouchi.
Journalist Chadha Haj Mubarak has been sentenced to five years in prison in connection with the same case, according to the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists. The union has called for her immediate release, condemning the court’s disregard for press freedoms. Mubarak’s attorney stated that her charges stem solely from her journalistic work.
