A court in Tunisia has imposed prison sentences on numerous opposition leaders, attorneys, and businesspeople accused of plotting to overthrow the current president.
Forty individuals, including opposition figure Jawahar Ben Mbarek, received prison terms ranging from four to 45 years due to their alleged involvement in a conspiracy aimed at ousting President Kais Saied.
Among those indicted, twenty have escaped abroad and were sentenced in their absence, while several others have been detained since 2023.
Human rights organizations have condemned the trial as politically driven, asserting that the prosecutions represent a significant escalation in Saied’s efforts to suppress dissent after he suspended Tunisia’s parliament in 2021 and began governing by decree.
The Tunisian government contends that the defendants, which include former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani, attempted to undermine the nation and overthrow Saied.
Sentences and Reactions
Ben Mbarek, along with party leaders Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. All three figures have remained in custody since the crackdown in 2023.
The longest sentence, totaling 45 years, was awarded to businessman Kamel Ltaif, while opposition member Khyam Turki received a sentence of 35 years.
Reportedly, Ben Mbarek has been on hunger strike for over a month and is in critical condition, according to his sister and lawyer Dalila Ben Mbarek.
Politician and feminist Bochra Belhaj Hmida, along with French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, were also among those sentenced in absentia, as stated by human rights organizations.
Trial and Advocacy Concerns
The final sentences were delivered by an appeals court after the opposition members initially received convictions in April. Saied has referred to them as “terrorists.”
A defense attorney described the proceedings as a “farce” with a clear intention to eliminate political adversaries.
Human rights advocates have voiced strong objections to these legal actions. Sara Hashash, deputy regional director at Amnesty International, labeled the sentences as “unjust” and indicative of a flawed Tunisian justice system.
She remarked that although the appeals court acquitted three defendants, it also increased sentences for others.
“The Court of Appeal has thereby also rubber stamped the government’s use of the justice system to eliminate political dissent.”
Following the initial ruling in April, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk raised “serious concerns about political motivations” surrounding the trial, urging the Tunisian authorities to refrain from employing broad national security laws to silence criticism.
Public Response
On Saturday, thousands took to the streets in Tunis, protesting against the government and accusing Saied of solidifying a one-man rule through the judiciary and police force.
Saied was elected in 2019 after Tunisia emerged from the Arab Spring democracy movement.
However, since then, the North African country has experienced a decline in democratic practices and a return to many authoritarian measures.
Comments