ALBAWABA - Head of Ennahdha Party, who was arrested about a month ago, Rached Ghannouchi, was sentenced to one year in prison and fined about $326.
🇹🇳 A #Tunisian court on Monday sentenced Rached #Ghannouchi, one of the main opponents of Tunisian President Kais #Saied, to a year in prison on terrorism-related charges, local media reported. @shinjennie has more 👇 pic.twitter.com/vlaUq39ekt
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) May 16, 2023
On Monday, the criminal circuit concerned with examining "terrorism cases" at the Tunisian Court of First Instance sentenced Ghannouchi to one year, along with 1,000 Tunisian dinars fine.
The Tunisian leader was accused of "glorifying terrorism, inciting against the security forces, and insulting state agencies."
The case dates back to February when Ghannouchi described the security forces as "tyrants" during the eulogy of a member of the Shura Council in the Ennahdha Party.
Ghannouchi's lawyers confirmed that they had boycotted the session and had "no knowledge of the ruling."
BREAKING: The Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi has been sentenced in absentia to a year in prison, report says https://t.co/hX7g06eQVY pic.twitter.com/U83adz17ny
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 15, 2023
The most prominent opponent of President Kais Saied was sentenced in this case in absentia, due to his refusal to attend the trial sessions and his refusal to leave his place in detention to appear before the court.
In April, the Tunisian authorities arrested Ghannouchi, on charges of conspiracy against internal state security, on the background of a statement in which he was reported to have threatened to ignite a civil war and create chaos in Tunisia.
Since December 2022, the Tunisian government arrested at least 17 current and former members of the Ennahdha Party, including its leader, Ghannouchi, and closed its headquarters across the country.
