150 Western academics call on Tunisia to release Ghannouchi, political prisoners

Dozens of academics in Europe and the US signed an open letter calling on the Tunisian authorities to release the head of the Ennahda Movement, Rashid Ghannouchi, and all political prisoners in the country.

The academics’ action took place on the one-month anniversary of Ghannouchi’s arrest due to statements in which he criticised the Tunisian authorities as a result of President Kais Saied’s coup against democracy in 2021 and his control of the judiciary.

The 150 signatories said Tunisian democracy, which represents the last hope of the Arab Spring, has been facing the return of tyranny since 25 July 2021, after the dismantling of democratic institutions, and since authority and power have been concentrated into the president’s grip.

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“Most recently, Rached Ghannouchi, who was democratically elected as Speaker of Tunisia’s Parliament that was unconstitutionally dissolved by President Kais Saied, was arrested at his home on 17 April 2023 to join the dozens of opposition leaders in jail. The charges against him and other opposition leaders are a desperate attempt to eliminate the leading voices of opposition to the destruction of democracy in Tunisia and distract attention from the deepening political, economic and social crises in the country,” the letter said.

“Mr. Ghannouchi’s arrest is part of a wide-ranging “politically motivated witch hunt”, as described by Amnesty International,” it added.

The academics stem from 19 countries in North America and Europe, including Charles Taylor, John Esposito, Francis Fukuyama, Philippe Schmitter, Clement Henry Moore, Olivier Roy, Francois Burgat, Jocelyne Cesari, Noam Chomsky, Larry Diamond, John Entelis, Burhan Ghalioun, and Elaine Lust, Khaled Abou El Fadl, John Kane and Charles Tripp.

The full text of the letter

Open Letter: Call for the Release of Rached Ghannouchi and All Political Prisoners in Tunisia

As the Arab Spring’s once promising and inspiring democratic transition faces its fiercest onslaught, threatening to take Tunisia back to the darkest eras of dictatorship, Tunisian democrats are bravely resisting and defending their hard won rights and freedoms. While opposition leaders make progress towards presenting a united, diverse and broad front for the restoration of democracy, they are facing a wide campaign of arbitrary arrests, politically motivated charges, demonisation and threats. All believers in the shared values of freedom and democracy around the world must stand by them in their struggle for freedom.

Most recently, Rached Ghannouchi, who was democratically elected as Speaker of Tunisia’s Parliament that was unconstitutionally dissolved by President Kais Saied, was arrested at his home on 17 April 2023 to join the dozens of opposition leaders in jail. The charges against him and other opposition leaders are a desperate attempt to eliminate the leading voices of opposition to the destruction of democracy in Tunisia and distract attention from the deepening political, economic and social crises in the country.

We, the undersigned, academics and public figures, express our solidarity with Mr. Ghannouchi and all Tunisian democrats unjustly arrested or prosecuted, and call on the Tunisian authorities to release all political prisoners in Tunisia.

At the age of eighty-one, Mr Ghannouchi is recognised as one of the most prominent advocates of democracy in the Arab world and of Muslim democracy. He has been one of the most consistent voices of moderation and condemnation of extremism. His consensus-building approach and consistent calls for dialogue and unity across political, intellectual and ideological lines are needed in Tunisia, the wider region and beyond more than ever. Depriving Tunisia, the region and the world of one of the most prominent voices of moderation and democracy would be a tragic loss far beyond Tunisia’s borders.

Mr. Ghannouchi’s arrest is part of a wide-ranging “politically motivated witch hunt”, as described by Amnesty International. The Tunisian authorities have arbitrarily prosecuted, arrested and detained democratic political party leaders, civil society representatives, union members, judges and journalists, many of whom are facing the same charges of “conspiring against state security” for their defense of Tunisian democracy.

We call on the Tunisian authorities to release all political prisoners and to restore freedoms and human rights in Tunisia.

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