A Tunisian court has sentenced 41 opposition activists to jail, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, and prominent journalists and bloggers.
The charges against the convicted people include “undermining the integrity of Tunisian territory” and “joining a gang that works to change the form of the state and commit hostilities against the president.”
The sentences have prompted criticism from the opposition Islamic-oriented Ennahda movement and the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists as “unjust” and “harsh.”
In the “Instalingo” case, the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced 41 people to prison for terms ranging from five to 54 years.
Former Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, who boycotted the trial proceedings from the outset, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. His daughter Soumaya Ghannouchi received 34 years, while his son Moaz Ghannouchi was sentenced to 25 years.
The Criminal Chamber also sentenced:
- Lotfi Zitoun and Adel Daadaa, a businessman and former Ennahda leader, to over 30 years in prison, with the confiscation of their assets, which were placed under state control.
- Waddah Khanfar, a former Al Jazeera journalist, to over 30 years in prison.
- Sheherazade Akacha, a journalist, to 27 years in absentia.
- Shatha Al-Haj Mubarak, a journalist, to 5 years in prison.
- Yahya Al-Khihili, a co-founder of Instalingo, to 38 years in prison.
- Mohamed Ali Al-Aroui, former spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, to 13 years in prison.
- Azhar Al-Lounqo, former head of Tunisian intelligence, to 15 years in prison.
- Former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi was sentenced in absentia to 35 years in prison.
- Slim Al-Jibali, a blogger, to 12 years in prison.
Ennahda condemned the verdict, calling it an “unjust political trial and part of a broader effort to take revenge and attack the most basic rights and freedoms.”
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The movement also said the trial was “a blatant assault on judicial independence and neutrality, as well as a flagrant politicisation of its ruling.”
The case began in October 2021, when authorities arrested employees of the company “Instalingo” and investigated journalists, bloggers, businessmen, and politicians on charges of “offending President Kais Saied,” “conspiring against state security” and “espionage.”
Ennahda had denied the charges, saying Instalingo was “a media content company that provided various services, including work on election campaigns in 2019 — but not for Ennahda’s candidate.”
Former Tunisian President and human rights advocate Moncef Marzouki dismissed the rulings as absurd, stating: “These latest ridiculous sentences against Sheikh Ghannouchi, his family, and others do not evoke any reaction from those who issued them — the usurping coup leader, the so-called Minister of Injustice, or the judges, half of whom are destined for Hell and the other half for fire. But they will one day stand before the courts of democracy and be swept away from any profession related to justice — except for one emotion: contempt.” He concluded his statement with: “The night must come to an end.”
Mauritanian scholar, writer and political activist Mohamed Mokhtar Al-Shanqiti also criticised the rulings, stating: “The unjust 22-year prison sentence against 80-year-old Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi is a sentence against the best of Tunisia — its history, values, dignity, and resilience in the face of oppression. And it was handed down by the worst of Tunisia — its traitors, corrupt officials, tyrants, and subservient elites. This is a moment of choice — Tunisians must decide.”
President Kais Saied
President Kais Saied’s tenure in Tunisia since his election in 2019 has seen a marked shift towards authoritarian rule, particularly highlighted by his actions following the events of July 25, 2021.
It was then that Saied assumed full executive power by dismissing the Prime Minister, suspending Parliament, and freezing its operations, which was widely termed as a “self-coup” or “auto-coup.”
Saied pushed through a new constitution in 2022, which significantly centralised power in the presidency. This constitution allowed him to rule by decree until new legislative elections, bypassing many democratic checks and balances.
He also dismantled or severely weakened key judicial bodies like the Supreme Judicial Council, ensuring judicial appointments and dismissals were under his control, thereby undermining judicial independence.
Opponents have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms on charges like “plotting against state security.”
There’s been a notable clampdown on freedom of expression, with journalists and media outlets facing restrictions, arrests, and trials for criticism of the government.
Saied also restructured the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), making it more aligned with his directives, which was evident during the 2024 presidential elections where opposition was significantly curtailed.
And despite promises to combat corruption and improve economic conditions, Saied’s rule has coincided with economic downturns, including high inflation and unemployment, with critics arguing his authoritarian turn has not led to economic improvement.
