The court of Tunisia imposed prison sentences from 12 to 35 years on Tuesday to prominent politicians, reports Reuters news agency. 21 people were continued in the mass process for alleged conspiracy against the state.
Ten of the opposition members, including Rachid Ghannouchi, are already in prison. Eleven others have fled abroad. The 84-year-old opposition leader Rachid Ghannouchi was in prison for fourteen years. Nadia Akacha, the former staff chief of President Kais Saied, was sentenced to 35 years in prison. She has been staying abroad for some time.
The convicted people are mainly opponents of President Saied. Human rights organizations see the penalties as a confirmation that Saied is becoming increasingly authoritory and that he uses the legal system to silence his opponents. For years he has been attracting more and more power.
In the summer of 2021, Saied fired the government and suspended the parliament. He gave himself all kinds of powers and has since ruled by decree. Later he fired dozens of judges who were not good enough for him. The opposition spoke of a coup, but Saied speaks of measures needed to combat corruption.
Almost all opposition leaders of Tunisia are now detained. Many journalists and critics have also been arrested.
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