Tunisian court sentences Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi to life imprisonment

Tunisian Court Hands Down Sentences in “Secret Apparatus” Case

A Tunisian court has delivered verdicts in the “secret apparatus” case, a high-profile trial involving opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi and dozens of other defendants. The Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Ghannouchi to life imprisonment plus 30 years on terrorism-related charges, according to reports from Tunis Afrique Presse.

Eleven other defendants, including Ali Laarayedh, received life sentences in addition to prison terms ranging from 10 to 96 years. Thirteen others were handed prison terms of between 10 and 48 years. The court found the defendants guilty of “forming a terrorist alliance” and other crimes, including “placing skills and expertise at the disposal of a terrorist alliance”.

The case began in early 2022 following a complaint by the public prosecutor’s office and lawyers for the families of leftist politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi. The prosecution alleged that Ghannouchi and his co-defendants were involved in the assassinations, espionage, and infiltrating state institutions.

Ghannouchi was initially arrested on charges related to making statements that “incite chaos and disobedience”. He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison in a separate case. Ennahdha party officials have denied the allegations, describing them as “politically motivated”.

The court ordered all defendants to be placed under administrative monitoring for five years. Authorities have maintained that the detainees are being held on terrorism-related charges and not on political grounds.

In April, Ghannouchi’s health deteriorated, prompting an urgent transfer from prison to hospital. Ennahdha officials called for his immediate release, citing his deteriorating health.

Source: Al Jazeera