Tunisian Court Sentences Ex-President Marzouki to 8 Years

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki has been sentenced to eight years in prison in absentia by a Tunisian court on charges of assaulting state security and inciting Tunisians against each other. This marks the second prison sentence against Marzouki, who resides in Paris, with a previous four-year sentence issued in 2021. The recent verdict is based on statements made by Marzouki in a speech given in Paris, with details not provided.

Marzouki, who served as president from 2011 to 2014, has been a vocal critic of President Kais Saied. Saied’s actions in 2021, which included closing Parliament, dismissing the government, and ruling by decree, were described by Marzouki and other opposition leaders as a coup. Saied denies these actions constitute a coup and argues they were necessary to save Tunisia from prolonged chaos. The Tunisian president solidified his constitutional powers through a 2022 referendum with a low turnout.

Several opposition leaders, including Rached Ghannouchi and Abir Moussi, were arrested, and prominent figures such as Jawher Ben Mbarek, Khayam Turki, Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chabbi, Abdelhamid Jalasi, and Ridha Belhaj were detained in a crackdown on suspicion of plotting against state security. Critics accuse Saied of suppressing the press, imposing authoritarian rule, and undermining the democratic gains since the 2011 revolution. Saied, in turn, dismisses these accusations, labeling his critics as criminals, traitors, and terrorists and warning judges against freeing them.

Marzouki’s repeated sentences in absentia and the broader crackdown on opposition figures underscore the deepening political tensions and challenges to democratic institutions in Tunisia.