Tunisian opposition leader, Abir Moussi, handed 12-year jail term

A court in Tunisia has sentenced Abir Moussi, a prominent opposition leader, to 12 years in prison. This development is part of a broader crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied.

Abir Moussi, the leader of the Free Constitutional Party, has been detained since her arrest in 2023 outside the presidential palace. The charges against her involve assault with the intent to incite chaos. Moussi has denied these charges, asserting her right to criticize and resist what she terms as "abuse, torture, and political and moral violence."

The current sentence marks the third trial against Moussi. In August 2022, she was initially sentenced to two years in prison under Decree 54 aimed at combating "false news," though the sentence was later reduced on appeal. Another appeals process is ongoing for a second jail term under the same decree.

Moussi's legal representative has characterized the recent ruling as unjust, suggesting that it is politically motivated rather than a genuine judicial decision.

Moussi is among several prominent figures currently imprisoned as part of President Saied's intensified measures against journalists, activists, civil society groups, and opposition leaders. Recently, an appeals court issued jail sentences of up to 45 years to numerous opposition leaders, business figures, and lawyers on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government.

Critics and rights organizations claim that President Saied has undermined the judiciary's independence since dissolving the elected parliament in 2021 and assuming governance by decree. However, the president refutes these claims, asserting that his actions are aimed at purging Tunisia of "traitors."

Based on reporting by Africanews.