Tunisian court sentences Ghannouchi to three years in prison and fine, lawyers say case details unclear

Tunisian courts on Monday sentenced Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda Movement, to three years in prison and imposed a fine in a case his lawyers said they had not been informed about in advance.

In exclusive comments to Arabi21, Ghannouchi’s defence team said they were surprised by the ruling, stating that they were unaware of the details of the case file.

Media reports said the verdict was issued by the specialised chamber for financial corruption cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance. The charges reportedly relate to accepting indirect funding from a foreign entity.

Ghannouchi’s lawyers rejected what they described as an unjust ruling, saying it lacked the basic guarantees of a fair trial, including the right to defence, the principle of confrontation, and the presumption of innocence.

In a statement seen by Arabi21, the defence team also condemned what it called an ongoing campaign targeting Ghannouchi since 2022, saying cumulative sentences issued against him now total 48 years in prison.

The lawyers said they would continue to pursue Ghannouchi’s right to a fair trial, adding that they are unable to access full details of the case or the accusations until the file is referred to the Court of Appeal — a process they said could take months.

They described the case as politically motivated and aimed at damaging Ghannouchi’s reputation.