Tunisia court sentences Ennahda Party leader Ghannouchi to 3 years in prison

A Tunisian court sentenced the head of the opposition Ennahda party, Rached Ghannouchi, to three years in prison, Thursday, with “immediate enforcement”, for receiving foreign donations for the party, according to the official Tunisian news agency, Anadolu Agency reports.

It said the sentence was handed down by the Tunis Court of First Instance Financial Corruption Criminal Chamber.

Ghannouchi’s son-in-law, former Foreign Minister, Rafik Abdessalem, was also sentenced to three years in the same case.

In addition, the court imposed a fine of 3,642,361 Tunisian dinars, or its equivalent in US dollars, on the Party “over the reception of foreign donations”, the news agency quoted court spokesperson, Mohamed Zitouna.

Tunisian law prohibits political parties from accepting direct or indirect funding from any foreign entity, prohibits the possession of funds abroad and considers seeking foreign support a crime.

The Ennahda Movement has previously denied any connection to foreign funding, and considered the accusations a malicious scheme as a result of the coup carried out by President Kais Saied.

Ghannouchi is among dozens of political opponents of President Kais Saied, including former top officials and business figures, who have been arrested since last February, drawing international concern.

Ghannouchi served as Parliament Speaker, whose Ennahda Party was the largest before it was dissolved by Saied in July 2021, after which he ousted the government.

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