On Saturday, a Tunisian court sentenced opposition leaders, businessmen, and lawyers to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years on conspiracy charges, which the opposition claims are fabricated and indicative of President Kais Saied’s authoritarian governance.
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Human rights organizations assert that Saied has exerted complete control over the judiciary since he dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. In 2022, he disbanded the independent Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed numerous judges.
Abdessatar Massoudi, a lawyer representing the defendants, informed Reuters that businessman Kamel Ltaif received the maximum sentence of 66 years, while opposition figure Khyam Turki was sentenced to 48 years.
The court also imposed 18-year prison sentences on notable opposition members, including Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawahar Ben Mbrak, and Ridha Belhaj, all of whom have been in custody since their arrest in 2023.
Youssef Chaouachi, the son of one of the convicted, expressed to Reuters, “We are not surprised by these unjust and vengeful verdicts aimed at silencing opposition voices.”
The trial, which commenced in March, involves 40 defendants, with over 20 having fled the country since the charges were filed.
Lawyer Ahmed Souab, who also represents the defendants, criticized the proceedings, stating on Friday before the verdict, “I have never witnessed a trial like this. It’s a farce; the rulings are predetermined, and what is occurring is both scandalous and shameful.”
Authorities allege that the defendants, which include former officials and ex-intelligence chief Kamel Guizani, attempted to destabilize the nation and overthrow Saied.
Nejib Chebbi, leader of the National Salvation Front opposition coalition and one of the defendants, remarked on Friday, “The authorities aim to criminalize the opposition.”
In 2023, Saied labeled the politicians as “traitors and terrorists,” asserting that judges who would acquit them were complicit.
Opposition leaders implicated in the case claim that Saied orchestrated a coup in 2021 and assert that the charges are contrived to suppress dissent and impose a dictatorial regime.
They contend that they were working on a plan to consolidate the divided opposition in response to the democratic decline in the birthplace of the Arab Spring movements.
Currently, many political party leaders in Tunisia are incarcerated, including Abir Moussi, the head of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda, both of whom are among Saied’s most significant adversaries.
