Tunisia: Ennahda slams travel ban imposed on ex-head of Electoral Commission

Ennahda yesterday condemned the travel ban imposed on the former head of the Independent High Electoral Commission, Nabil Buffon.

The movement expressed “its full solidarity with Mr. Nabil Buffon, the legitimate head of the Independent High Electoral Commission, after he was banned from travelling abroad to embark on an international mission to accompany the elections in another country.”

In April 2022, Tunisian President Qais Saied issued a decree to replace the members of the Independent High Electoral Commission and its chairman with seven new members who had been elected by parliament. The commission previously consisted of nine members.

The movement condemned “all arbitrary and illegal measures taken against him in retaliation and to remedy his positions rejecting the unconstitutional measures of July 25 2021,” in reference to Saied’s decision to freeze parliament and unilaterally take control of all government institutions.

It also strongly condemned the “denial of the right to travel and the practices of abuse carried out by all violators of the absurd coup that destroyed political life and drags the country to the abyss of bankruptcy and throws it into the unknown.”

On Saturday evening, Buffon announced in a video via Facebook that he had been banned from leaving the country, adding that “what is happening in Tunisia is absurd and a farce”.

There was no official comment from Tunisian authorities.

Tunisia: defence team claims ‘falsification’ in charges against ex-PM