The Tunisian regime continues its violations of human rights, launching an arbitrary arrest campaign against dissident voices.
The Court of First Instance in Tunisia has sentenced the Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to a year in prison and a fine of 1,000 dinars ($328) on incitement charges.
Ghannouchi, 81, was detained last month over a case filled by a member of the security unions accusing him of calling police officers “tyrants” during a eulogy for one of the Ennahda movement’s leaders two years ago.
Ghannouchi, founder of the Ennahdha party, has refused to be removed from his place of detention for questioning or to attend Monday’s trial, considering that the cases are “political settling of scores targeting opponents of the regime.”
The new ruling came as part of the Tunisian regime’s violations of the human rights and public freedoms, mainly freedom of speech and independence of the judicial system.
Ghannouchi was detained in mid-April on the charge of plotting against the security of the state, a charge imposed against several political opposition leaders.
Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25 when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup.”
Following 25 July 2021, Tunisian authorities have resorted to arbitrary house arrests and unlawful travel bans against dozens of individuals, while military courts have increasingly targeted critics of the president with repressive laws.
