Tunisian court issues sentences of 13 to 66 years in ‘conspiracy against state security’ case

A Tunisian court sentenced individuals convicted in the "conspiracy against state security" case to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years, according to official reports on Saturday.

The Tunisian News Agency reported that the sentences were issued following a trial involving 40 individuals, including prominent political figures.

The court decisions, delivered in the early hours of Saturday, are open to appeal under Tunisian law, it added.

Among those sentenced were members of the Ennahda Movement, including its leader Noureddine Bhiri, former presidential office chief Rached Ghannouchi, and Issam Chebbi, the secretary-general of the Republican Party. Other individuals affiliated with the National Salvation Front, a coalition of opposition figures, were also convicted.

The charges against the accused included conspiracy to undermine both internal and external state security, forming terrorist groups, and attempting to alter the government structure through violent means.

The court also ruled that sentences for fugitives, who were tried in absentia, will be enforced immediately once they are apprehended.

The case has drawn widespread attention, with protests from the families of the accused outside the courthouse during the trial.

The case dates back to February 2023, when a number of political figures, lawyers, and civil society activists were arrested.

Human rights organizations and opposition parties have condemned the case as politically motivated, claiming it is part of a wider effort to suppress dissent against President Kais Saied. The authorities, however, maintain that the charges are related to national security threats and criminal activity.

Since Saied's exceptional measures began in July 2021, which included dissolving the parliament and judiciary and instituting a new constitution through a referendum, the opposition has accused him of attempting to centralize power and undermine the democratic process in Tunisia.