The Tunisian Islamist party Ennahdha denounced, Tuesday, May 16 in a press release, the sentence of one year in prison imposed by justice, the day before, on its leader, Rached Ghannouchi, while calling for his release.
“We condemn the sentence pronounced against Rached Ghannouchi which we consider as an unjust political verdict, and we call for his release”, indicates the text.
Opponent Ghannouchi, 81, was arrested in mid-April and placed under a committal order after claiming that Tunisia would be threatened with a “civil war” if left-wing parties or those from political Islam like Ennahdha , were eliminated there.
The former speaker of Parliament was sentenced for “apology for terrorism”, and will also have to pay a fine of 1,000 dinars (300 euros).
His conviction aroused much disapproval from non-governmental organizations. The director for Tunisia of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Salsabil Chellali, spoke of a “new demonstration of the instrumentalization, by the authorities, of the anti-terrorism law to discredit and eradicate the opposition”.
“This sentence is a blow for the president of the Ennahdha party who has just been brought to justice this time and which confirms President Saïed’s severe and authoritarian reversal,” said Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for studies and research on the Arab and Mediterranean world in Geneva.
In recent months, Tunisia has distinguished itself by a series of arrests of different personalities (politicians, opponents, civil society activists, media managers, trade unionists, etc.), provoking a wave of indignation both at inside the country and outside.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1175 of 17/05/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
