A Tunisian court has handed down prison sentences ranging from 13 to 66 years against over 40 individuals accused of conspiring against national security, according to a report by Tunisia’s state-run TAP news agency. The sweeping verdicts mark one of the most significant developments in President Kais Saied’s intensifying clampdown on opposition voices and political dissent.
The case, which dates back to early 2023, includes former high-ranking officials, journalists, political figures, and a former central bank governor. Many of those convicted are currently in exile or were tried in absentia, while at least six have been held in pre-trial detention for more than a year. In a striking move, even the detained defendants were ordered to follow the trial proceedings remotely, rather than appear in court.
The charges, which carry serious terrorism implications, include conspiring against the state’s internal and external security, forming and joining terrorist organizations, and allegedly attempting to incite civil conflict and overthrow state institutions. The court’s ruling took immediate effect for those sentenced in absentia.
Among the most notable names caught up in the case are Ghazi Chaouachi, co-founder of the secular Democratic Current party, Abdelhamid al-Jelassi, a senior figure in the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, and businessman and political lobbyist Kamal Eltaief. The TAP report, citing an official from Tunisia’s anti-terrorism judiciary, did not provide a breakdown of individual sentences.
As Bloomberg previously reported, the mass trial has drawn international concern, with human rights organizations and the United Nations condemning the charges as politically motivated. Critics argue that the proceedings reflect an alarming erosion of judicial independence in Tunisia and an effort by Saied’s administration to silence dissent amid growing economic and social unrest.
Since dissolving parliament and assuming emergency powers in 2021, President Saied has steadily consolidated control over key institutions. His government has increasingly targeted members of the opposition, civil society, and media, triggering fears of a return to authoritarian rule in a country once seen as a rare democratic success story in the Arab world.
The verdicts come as Tunisia faces deepening economic hardship, rising inflation, and tense negotiations with international creditors. Observers say the political repression could further isolate the country on the global stage and complicate international aid efforts.
