Tunisia opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi hit with longer prison sentence

A Tunisian court on Tuesday handed opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi a new and lengthier prison sentence, drawing renewed criticism from human rights groups and opposition figures.

Ghannouchi, the former head of the Islamist Ennahda Party, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of "plotting against the state", his lawyer said, adding that the ruling increased an earlier sentence by six years.

The 84-year-old now faces more than 40 years behind bars in total, after receiving multiple convictions in separate cases. His defence team has repeatedly rejected the allegations as politically motivated.

Ghannouchi has been a longstanding critic of President Kais Saied, whose consolidation of power since 2021 has coincided with a sweeping crackdown on political opponents, journalists and civil society figures.

Human rights activist and former minister Kamel Jendoubi said the verdict was issued without fair legal procedures, arguing that Ghannouchi was not formally informed of the charges and was denied the opportunity to defend himself or appear before the court.

Jendoubi said the rulings against Ghannouchi should be viewed within a broader political campaign targeting specific opposition groups, particularly Islamist movements.

He called for the unconditional release of political detainees and warned that the repression could extend to any political or civil actor outside the circle of power amid shrinking space for free expression.

Ghannouchi’s legal team said he would not appeal the latest ruling, citing the absence of guarantees for a fair trial.

Tunisia, long seen as the sole democratic success story of the 2011 Arab uprisings following the overthrow of longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has faced mounting criticism from local and international rights groups since Saied took office in 2019.

Ennahda played a central role in Tunisian politics for years before its leadership was targeted in a series of prosecutions. Ghannouchi has already received a separate 22-year sentence in another case related to alleged threats to state security.

Other defendants in the latest trial included former presidential chief of staff Nadia Akacha, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison, and former prime minister Youssef Chahed, both of whom are currently outside the country.

Court documents list charges including conspiracy against internal state security and forming an organisation linked to terrorist crimes.

Several senior Ennahda figures, including Ghannouchi’s son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem and retired military officer Kamel Bedoui, were also accused of establishing a so-called "secret security apparatus" serving the party.

The case follows a similar mass trial last year in which around 40 opposition figures were sentenced to prison terms of up to 45 years. The court also upheld 35-year sentences against former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani and Mouadh Ghannouchi, the son of Rached Ghannouchi, both of whom live abroad.

The accused have denied all charges, saying the cases were fabricated to silence critics of Saied. Most of the president’s opponents, from across the political spectrum, have either been jailed or forced into exile.

In total, 21 people were charged in the conspiracy case, with 10 currently in custody and 11 having fled the country.

Saied dissolved parliament in 2021, began ruling by decree, dismantled the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed dozens of judges, moves critics described as a coup against Tunisia's post-revolution democratic order. Saied rejects the accusations, saying his actions are legal and aimed at ending corruption and political paralysis.