The Tunisia National Salvation Front said in a statement on Sunday evening, 26 July, that it was "following with concern" reports circulating regarding the health of Ennahda Movement leader Rached Ghannouchi and National Salvation Front leader Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, both in detention.
The front said that "the absence of any official clarification, together with the continued refusal to allow Ghannouchi's family and legal defence team to visit him and check on his health, is deepening uncertainty and concern and opening the door to further rumours".
Social media pages circulated rumours that Ghannouchi had died, while others denied the claim, saying he was receiving treatment in hospital and that his condition was stable.
The National Salvation Front held the Tunisian authorities fully responsible for the uncertainty surrounding the health of some political detainees.
"The ban on visits, together with the absence of official and transparent communication, has contributed to growing fears," it said.
The front called for "the truth about the health of both Ghannouchi and Chebbi to be disclosed to end the controversy and reassure their families and the public".
Ghannouchi's defence team member Mokhtar Jemaai said Ghannouchi's health was "very deteriorated", based on what he had observed during visits, adding that his condition was worsening day by day.
Meanwhile, Ennahda Movement leader Riadh Chaibi said, "Some pages have circulated several rumours and conflicting reports about the health of Rached Ghannouchi, but the truth is that the only party with accurate information is the authority, especially after visits were banned while he was in hospital, alongside the complete blackout surrounding his health."
Chaibi said the circulation of rumours, in the absence of any official clarification, was intensifying concern and pointed to two possibilities.
He said either the authorities were behind the leaks to divert attention from the country's crisis and protests, or they were abandoning their responsibility to inform Ghannouchi's family and defence team about his actual health condition.
He also held the authorities responsible for the continuing lack of clarity.
Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.