A Tunisian court has sentenced several high-profile political figures, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, to lengthy prison terms in a sweeping trial critics say reflects President Kais Saied’s growing authoritarian grip.
Rached Ghannouchi © TPS
A Tunisian court has sentenced several high-profile political figures, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, to lengthy prison terms in a sweeping trial critics say reflects President Kais Saied’s growing authoritarian grip.
Ghannouchi, 84, head of the Ennahda party and former speaker of the dissolved parliament, received a 14-year sentence for allegedly conspiring against state security. He has been in detention since 2023 and now faces a combined total of 27 years from multiple convictions.
The court also sentenced 20 others, including ex-presidential chief of staff Nadia Akacha and former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani, both in exile, to 35 years. Eleven defendants were tried in absentia.
Since Saied dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree, dozens of judges have been dismissed and key political opponents, journalists, and critics jailed. Rights groups accuse the president of weaponizing the judiciary to silence dissent and dismantle Tunisia’s democratic gains since the Arab Spring.
Saied denies the allegations, insisting his actions aim to root out corruption and restore order.
By Hamza Zihad
A Sudanese coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces announced on Saturday the members of a parallel government, a move opposed by the army, its rival in a 27-month war that could drive the country further towards partition.
Hundreds of Tunisian activists protested in the capital on Friday against President Kais Saied, denouncing his rule as an "authoritarian regime" that has turned the country into an “open-air prison”.
The Islamist movement toppled in Sudan's uprising in 2019 could support an extended period of army rule as it eyes a political comeback after deploying fighters in the country's war, according to some of its leading members.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.