Rached Ghannouchi Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in Tunisia
A Tunisian court has convicted Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda Movement and former speaker of parliament, in the case known as the “Secret Organization” and sentenced him to life imprisonment. According to a judicial source, the criminal terrorism court handed down sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment to the defendants in the case.
The source, speaking to Tunisia’s official news agency, stated that several individuals were convicted of establishing and being members of a “terrorist” organization and related crimes. Ghannouchi, 84, who has been detained since April 2023, was sentenced to life imprisonment plus an additional 30 years behind bars.
In this same case, Ali Laarayedh, Ghannouchi’s deputy, received a 42-year prison sentence, while Mustafa Khedher, a former Tunisian security official, was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 96 years. Other defendants were given sentences ranging from 10 to 50 years.
The case, which involves 35 defendants, was opened in early 2022 following complaints by the public prosecutor and the lawyers of Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, two politicians who were assassinated in 2013. Since Kais Saied became president in 2023, the judicial pursuit of the Ennahda leader has intensified; Ghannouchi has previously been sentenced to one- and three-year prison terms in other cases.
The Ennahda Movement has consistently denied the existence of any “secret apparatus” and stressed that the judicial processes against its leaders are politically motivated. Meanwhile, Tunisian judicial authorities have treated the case within the framework of combating organized crime and terrorism.
