A Tunisian court has sentenced opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to life in prison. The ruling occurred on Tuesday at the Tunis Court of First Instance. Ghannouchi received an additional 30-year term for terrorism charges. This brings his total cumulative sentence to 106 years.
The verdict marks a significant escalation in the state’s crackdown. It targets the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha movement and its leadership. The case centred on allegations of a “secret apparatus”. Prosecutors claimed this network served the Ennahdha party illegally.
The court found 35 defendants guilty in the trial. Charges included forming and joining a terrorist organisation. Defendants were also accused of providing skills to terrorists. These offences fall under Tunisia’s strict counter-terrorism law.
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Harsh penalties for opposition figures
Other senior Ennahdha members received severe prison terms as well. Former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh was sentenced to 42 years, while Mustapha Khedher received a staggering 96-year prison sentence. Several other defendants, including Ridha Barouni, got life terms. They also received additional decades in prison for various charges. Retired military officer Kamel ben Bedoui got life plus 32 years. These rulings effectively remove key opposition voices from public life.
Ghannouchi, 84, has been detained since April 2023. He previously served as speaker of parliament before 2021. President Kais Saied seized power in July 2021, suspending parliament and assuming executive authority. Critics argue the trials are politically motivated vendettas.
Tunisia was once the Arab Spring’s sole democracy. The 2011 revolution ousted long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. However, freedoms have eroded significantly under President Saied.
Image credit: AFP
