The Eohdha Party of Tunisia is stabbing a long prison for its leader Ghannouchi | News

Tunisian Eusdha Opposition Parties struck a court sentence condemning its leader Rached Ghannouchi For an additional 22 years in prison, saying that the charges were “a rough attack on independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the apparent politicization of his procedures and decisions.”

Echda issued a statement on Thursday, stating that the proceedings were marred by “innumerable violations” and the case against Ghannouchi was “nothing more than a political process”.

He added that they were reminiscent of “a period that people strive to leave behind through their revolution” in reference to Performance by President Zin El Abidin Ben Ali In popular protests that caused the Arab spring in 2011.

Ghannouchi was arrested in April 2023 and convicted up to a year at prison on a summons of incitement. The 83-year-old is President Kayce Said's main rival.

Last week he was Sentenced to three years In prison for accusations that his party had received foreign contributions. Echdha, who rejected the allegations, was fined $ 1.1 million.

A court on Wednesday sentenced him to an additional 22 years in prison on charges that include “Conspiracy against State Security”.

Ahmed Gaalul, an adviser to Ghannouchi and a former Minister of Tunizius, told Al Jazeera that the party expects even more random sentences to be handed over in the coming months.

“Saied needs a propaganda instrument” at a time of a deep economic crisis, Gaalul said. “His discourse is that he returns people's wealth, that he is strong, but it has nothing to do with justice.”

He said Eachda would continue to challenge the proceedings in international courts. Ghannouchi, whom Gaaloul said remains in a good mood, although he did not receive enough medical attention while in prison, refuses to appear before a judge in Tunisia to protest the lack of an independent judiciary.

Gaalul said the Side government is supported by countries that have “security and stability” in Tunisia as their main interest, not as democracy. “It didn't work in the 80s and 90s and it won't work in this case,” he told Al Jazeera.

Several opposition leaders have been sentenced to prison

The court also sentenced Wednesday for several other Eenchta party data, including former Prime Minister Hichem Mehichi, who received 35 years.

Mehichi has lived abroad since 2021, a few months after Said fired him and closed the chosen parliament in the course of the described opposition Like a “stroke”S

A total of 41 people were charged with the case. The court also sentenced Lajar Longo, a former intelligence director, and Mohammed Ali Aroi, a former Ministry of the Internal Spokesman, up to 15 years in prison.

The defendants were Gannuchi Muad's son, his daughter Sumaya and his son -in -law Rafik Abdesalem, who served as Tunisia's Foreign Affairs Minister from 2011 until 2013. They were sentenced to 35, 25 and 34 years in prison respectively.

The court also sentenced several journalists working for a digital content company called Instalingo, which is under control after Saied organized its power in 2021.

Lawyer Mctar JMAI told the Reuters Agency that the court had filed a 27-year sentence to journalist Chara Akaca, who escaped abroad, and a five-year sentence of another journalist Chadha Haj Mbarak, which is already closed.

“These are unjust and political decisions aimed at eliminating political opponents,” JMAI told the news agency, adding that they would appeal the sentences.

Said, a former law professor, stopped the Tunisian Parliament in 2021 and subsequently dissolved to be managed by a decree.

Tunisia took place legislative elections At the end of 2022, but turnout was low due to the opposition boycott. Earlier that year Saied successfully pressed a Constitutional referendum This has expanded the powers of the Presidency.

Critics have warned of the risk of returning the country to authoritarianism. The National Torture Prevention Authority on Wednesday said prison data were “anxious” as the number of prisoners increased to over 32,000, compared to about 22,000 from 2018 to 2021.

Said has repeatedly denied a coup and said his actions were needed to save Tunisia for years of chaos. But he struggles to revive the economy.

On Wednesday, Side fired his finance minister and appointed a magistrate in the role. The presidency made a message in a Facebook post, which showed that Michket Slama Khaldi swore Saied.

Initially, the Presidency did not give details of the decision and did not mention the leaving finance minister Sichem Buddie NEMSIA.

Khaldi headed a national committee charged with the recovery of public funds, assigned before the uprising in 2011 against Ben Ali.