Summary:

On 30 October 2023, former Ennahdha party head Rached Ghannouchi’s 12-month sentence on terrorism-related charges was extended to 15 months by an appeals court, marking another setback for his defense team and the Ennahdha party. 

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Ghannouchi was originally sentenced in May following an investigation into statements he made about Tunisian security forces, referring to them as “tyrants.”  

Other legal proceedings against Ghannouchi have continued, despite his refusal to submit to additional questioning during his detention. Ghannouchi is one of many current and former Ennahdha party officials detained or under investigation as part of a sweeping government investigation into “conspiracy against state security.” 

Outlook:  

The extension of Ghannouchi’s sentence is a further indication that an early release is unlikely, despite calls from his supporters in Tunisia and a number of individuals and organizations outside of Tunisia. 

Many critics of President Saied point to Ghannouchi’s detention as evidence of Tunisia’s democratic backsliding and the degradation of the rule of law, accusing President Saied of silencing his critics and political opponents. 

Despite this criticism, President Saied maintains broad support for targeting Ennahdha with legal and policy roadblocks that have come to threaten the ability of the party to continue operating in a meaningful way. Many Tunisians view Ennahdha’s post-revolutionary control of the government as the source of the corruption and government inefficiency that they experience on a daily basis. 

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