Tunisia- The official spokesperson for Ennahda Movement Emad Al-Khmiri stated that the judicial ruling against the leader of the movement Rashid Al-Ghannouchi is a discriminatory political decision that aims to target the movement and its leadership. He denied the charges directed at Al-Ghannouchi and his party, while opposition leader Ahmed Najib Al-Shabi affirmed that the ruling is aimed at eliminating the opposition.
The specialized criminal division of the Court of First Instance in Tunis issued a ruling two days ago, sentencing the leader of Ennahda and the dissolved Parliament Speaker Rashid Al-Ghannouchi, as well as his son-in-law Rafiq Abdul Salam, to three years in prison with immediate effect in a case related to the accusation of a political party receiving foreign funding.
This case against Ennahda’s leader and his son-in-law was raised following the declaration of exceptional measures by President Qais Saied, through which the previous parliament was dissolved, the government and the Supreme Judicial Council were removed, and extensive powers were granted.
The opposition National Salvation Front called on its supporters to demonstrate on Friday, demanding the release of the political detainees and an end to what it termed “unjust trials”.
Continued Defense
Ennahda’s official spokesperson, Emad Al-Khmiri, denied in a statement to Al Jazeera that the movement received any foreign funding. He emphasized that Ennahda is among the few parties in Tunisia subjecting its financial transactions to judicial and audit scrutiny. He added that the movement has no representation abroad to sign any contracts.
He considers the judicial ruling “prejudiced and unfair, lacking the minimum conditions of a fair trial.” Al-Khmiri explained to Al Jazeera Net that the defense counsel requested the postponement of the ruling until the closure order of the movement’s headquarters by the security authorities is lifted to provide all the documents that would exonerate Rashid Al-Ghannouchi and his son-in-law.
“The court refused to postpone the ruling, so we consider the trial prejudiced,” he said. When asked if the movement would appeal the ruling, he stated that the movement “will continue the legal process to defend its leadership, although the judiciary has come under the control of the executive authority after the dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council and the dismissal of 54 judges.”
Al-Khmiri believes that the ruling reflects the will of the executive authority to target the opposition since the coup of July 25, 2021, the date President Qais Saied declared the exceptional measures. He pointed out that Ennahda Movement will continue to defend its political existence peacefully and its right to engage in party work, as well as the people’s right to democracy.
Al-Ghannouchi is one of the prominent leaders of the opposition Front for Salvation, which rejects the exceptional measures initiated by President Qais Saied since July 25, 2021.
Al-Khmiri criticized what he saw as divisive rhetoric from President Qais Saied against the opposition and its symbols, considering the security and judicial pursuits launched about a year ago against the opposition and some of the candidates for the supposed presidential elections this year as evidence of targeting, intimidating, and excluding them.
Opposition Uprooting
On the other hand, Ahmed Najib Al-Shabi, leader of the opposition’s National Salvation Front (of which Ennahda Movement is a prominent component), stated that the judicial ruling against Al-Ghannouchi and his son-in-law lacked the minimum conditions for a fair trial, considering it the dismantling of the judiciary and its dominance by the executive authority.
Al-Shabi confirmed to Al Jazeera Net that what happened is clear evidence of an unjust ruling to take revenge on a political opponent, pointing out that the security and judicial pursuits targeted all the historical leaders of the Islamist Ennahda Movement, as well as many opposition political figures, for opposing President Qais Saied’s course.
He stated, “The issue is not only about uprooting the Islamic Ennahda Movement but also about the opposition National Salvation Front and other opposition political figures, leading to a return to the pre-revolution status.”
Starting in February 2023, the security authorities launched a wide campaign to arrest a significant number of opposition figures who consider President Qais Saied a violator of the constitution. These individuals have been in jail for about a year, awaiting trial on charges of conspiring against the state security, even though their lawyers deny any evidence against them.
Al-Shabi believes that the ongoing pursuits and trials go beyond merely eliminating the opponents from the presidential race, which is supposed to take place this year, and extend to excluding moderate parties and bodies to monopolize the government.
He also considered that hitting political parties and excluding them resulted in a significant turnout decline of citizens in legislative and local elections.
The National Salvation Front has called on its supporters to demonstrate today in the capital, demanding the release of the political detainees and an end to what it terms “unjust trials”.
Conversely, parties supporting President Qais Saied and endorsing his political course expressed their support for the judicial ruling against the leader of Ennahda Movement and his son-in-law. Some of them considered these judgments as a sign of the judiciary’s recovery from the control that Ennahda Movement previously imposed on it to conceal its crimes.
The ruling sentenced the leader of Ennahda Movement to three years in prison on charges of receiving funding from a foreign party, and he had previously been sentenced on May 15, 2023, to one year in prison with a fine of 1,000 dinars ($328) on charges of incitement in the so-called “tyrants” file.
According to his defense team, Al-Ghannouchi (83 years old) is being tried in nearly 9 cases. The police arrested him after raiding his house on April 17, 2023, on charges of conspiracy against the state security.
Ennahda Movement’s supporters have repeatedly protested in the marches organized by the National Salvation Front in the streets of the capital Tunis to demand the release of the political detainees. Meanwhile, President Qais Saied reiterated in his speeches his determination to continue his course, holding those opposing him today responsible for the deteriorating situation.
