Rached Ghannouchi - The African Mirror

Feb

2024

Tunisia court sentences ex-president Marzouki to 8 years in absentia

A Tunisian court sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to eight years in prison in absentia on charges of assaulting the state security and inciting Tunisians against each other, a judicial official said. This is the second prison sentence against Marzouki, who resides in Paris after a judge sentenced him in 2021 to four years in absentia. Mohamed Zitouna, the spokesperson of the Tunis court, said the verdict was based on statements by Marzouki that included incitement in a speech he gave in Paris, without giving further details. Marzouki, who was president from 2011 to 2014, is a fierce critic of President…

Feb

2024

By The African Mirror

Tunisia opposition leader Ghannouchi begins hunger strike in prison

NEWS

IMPRISONED Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi went on a hunger strike in solidarity with other anti-government figures waging a protest fast to demand their immediate release, a team of opposition lawyers said. Ghannouchi, 82, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied and head of the Ennahda main opposition party, was jailed last year on charges of incitement against police and plotting against state security. Earlier this month in a separate case a judge sentenced him to three years in prison on charges of accepting external financing. "While he is fighting the 'empty stomach' battle, Ghannouchi calls on Tunisians to adhere to a democratic Tunisia…

Feb

2024

By The African Mirror

Tunisian opposition leader Ghannouchi sentenced to three years in prison

NEWS

A Tunisian judge sentenced opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, to three years in prison on charges of accepting external financing, his lawyer Monia Bouali told Reuters. Ghannouchi, 82, head of the Ennahda main opposition party, has been in prison since April. Last year he was sentenced to a year in prison on charges of incitement against police. Bouali added that the court also imprisoned Ghannouchi’s son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem who is a senior Ennahda official, to three years in prison in the same case, in addition to fining the Islamist party $1.1 million. Ennahda in a statement…

Sep

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisian opposition leader Ghannouchi starts a three-day hunger strike in prison

NEWS

JAILED Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, has begun a three-day hunger strike in support of other imprisoned opposition figures, his Islamist Ennahda party said on Friday. Ghannouchi, 82, was sentenced to a year in jail in May on charges of incitement and plotting against state security. More than 20 other opposition figures have been detained this year. They say Saied's shutting down of the elected parliament in 2021 and moves to rule by decree amounted to a coup. Saied, who enshrined his new constitutional powers in a referendum with a low turnout last…

May

2023

By TAREK AMARA

Tunisian judge sentences opposition leader Ghannouchi to year in prison

NEWS

A Tunisian judge sentenced in absentia opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, to a year in prison on charges of incitement, his lawyer Monia Bouali said. Ghannouchi, 81, has been in prison since April. His lawyer said the charges stem from a funeral eulogy he gave last year for a member of his Ennahda party when he said the deceased "did not fear a ruler or tyrant, he only feared God." The leader of the Islamist Ennahda party is also accused of plotting against state security along with other detained opposition figures who accuse Saied of a coup for…

Apr

2023

By TAREK AMARA

Judge orders jail for Tunisian opposition leader

NEWS

A Tunisian judge ordered opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to be detained before his trial on charges of plotting against state security, his lawyer said, the latest move on opponents of President Kais Saied. The 81-year-old head of the Islamist Ennahda party was the speaker of the elected parliament, which was shut down in 2021 by Saied when he seized all powers. Ghannouchi, who was arrested on Monday, was ordered detained following an investigation by the judge that lasted eight hours, lawyer Monia Bouali said. No date has been set for any trial or the next hearing. "The issue is related to…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Tunisia police arrest three prominent officials of Ennahda party

NEWS

TUNISIAN police arrested three prominent officials of the main opposition Ennahda party, hours after they detained party leader Rached Ghannouchi, the most prominent critic of President Kais Saied, a lawyer and officials said. Lawyer Monia Bouali told Reuters that the officials arrested are Mohamed Goumani, Belkacem Hassan and Mohammed Chnaiba. Officials in Ennahda confirmed the arrests. Police raided Ennahda party headquarters early on Tuesday and evacuated all present to start a search that will take days, after showing a judicial warrant, party officials said. Police have this year detained leading political figures who accuse Saied of what they call a…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

“Tunisia moving towards dictatorship”

NEWS

TAREK AMARA and ANGUS MCDOWALL TUNISIA'S president is using a referendum on a new constitution to move back towards dictatorship, the head of the biggest Tunisian opposition party, the Islamist Ennahda, warned. Rached Ghannouchi, who was parliament speaker until President Kais Saied shut the chamber and seized most powers last summer, said the atmosphere in the build-up to the July 25 vote was "undemocratic and funereal". Saied's focus on political changes while the economy slid further towards crisis also meant Tunisia faced a "Sri Lanka situation" with a looming social explosion, Ghannouchi told Reuters in an interview. "Saied's speeches can…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Tunisian judge freezes bank accounts of former parliament speaker, ex-PM

NEWS

TAREK AMARA A Tunisian judge has ordered a freeze on the financial assets of the former speaker of the country's dissolved parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, former prime minister Hamadi Jebali and several other people, an official told Reuters. He added that the list of people included Ghannouchi's son Moadh Ghannouchi and son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem, who was a former foreign minister. Tunisia's Rached Ghannouchi, head of the moderate Islamist Ennahda and speaker of the parliament, attends an interview with Reuters in Tunis, Tunisia, on March 31, 2022. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui "There is an order from the anti-terrorism judge to freeze the bank accounts…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Tunisian opposition leader faces money laundering allegations

NEWS

TUNISIA'S main opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi has been summoned by a judge over money laundering allegations, his Ennahda party said accusing the authorities of targeting him for political reasons. The July 19 summons is to answer questions about the allegations, which Ennahda say are untrue and a result of "distortion and fabrication". Reuters could not immediately reach a judiciary spokesperson. Ghannouchi has emerged as the loudest critic of Kais Saied since the president seized broad powers last year, moved to rule by decree and ousted the elected parliament in which the Ennahda leader is the speaker. Earlier this year, Saied…