In Tunisia, a court has sentenced several opposition figures, businessmen, and lawyers to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years, according to state media. They were convicted of plotting against state security, charges that the opposition claims are fabricated and a sign of President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule.
Forty individuals were involved in the case, though more than half fled the country following their charges. The defendants were accused of attempting to destabilize the nation and overthrow Saied. Among those jailed were prominent critics of the president, including Nejib Chebbi, leader of the National Salvation Front opposition, his brother Issam Chebbi, leader of the Republican Party, and Ghazi Chaouachi, head of the Democratic Current party. A former intelligence chief, Kamel Guizan, was also among the defendants. The trial, which began in March but was postponed twice, barred journalists and civil society groups from attending.
President Saied, elected in 2019 on an anti-corruption platform, dissolved parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021. Since then, he has overseen the dismissal of the judiciary and the arrest of his political opponents. Reelected in October amid a low voter turnout in an election criticized by observers, Saied’s rule has been criticized by human rights groups for arbitrary detentions and politically motivated prosecutions. He denies accusations of dictatorship, claiming he is fighting rampant corruption and chaos among the political elite.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/tunisia-jails-opposition-leaders-for-up-to-66-years/a-72286203?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
