News|PoliticsTunisia sentences opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in jailDozens of opposition figures being targeted in nation once seen as beacon for democracy after sparking the Arab Spring.
A Tunisian court has sentenced opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison amid a crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied.
A Tunisian court has sentenced opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison amid a crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied.
Lawyer Nafaa Laribi, representing Moussi, criticized the ruling, describing it as politically motivated. Moussi is the leader of the Free Destourian Party.
Before the verdict, the Free Destourian Party condemned the perceived injustice against Moussi, who has been detained since Tue, Oct 3, 2023. Moussi has led the party since 2016 and was a supporter of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was overthrown in 2011.
The party has organized protests against President Saied, who assumed power in 2019, dissolved the elected parliament in 2021, and began ruling by decree. Saied justified these actions as necessary to prevent anarchy.
A Tunisian court has sentenced opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in prison amid a crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied.
Moussi was arrested in 2023 at the presidential palace on charges related to causing chaos, amidst a wider crackdown on opposition figures. She denies the charges, asserting her right to legal opposition and criticism.
The recent sentence is connected to this incident. Previously, Moussi was sentenced under Decree 54, a law enacted in 2022 to combat false news. Although her initial sentence was reduced on appeal, she faced a second conviction under the same law. The appeal process for this case is ongoing.
Critics claim Moussi aims to restore authoritarianism reminiscent of Ben Ali’s regime. President Saied's administration faces accusations of intensifying crackdowns, with many opposition figures receiving severe sentences for alleged conspiracy against state security. Decree 54 is reportedly being used to suppress free speech.
Rights groups argue that President Saied has compromised judicial independence by dissolving the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissing judges in 2022, actions viewed by opponents as a coup. Saied denies leveraging the judiciary against political adversaries.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
