Tunisian ex-president gets 22-year sentence in absentia

A Tunisian court has sentenced ex-President Moncef Marzouki in absentia to 22 years in prison on charges of undermining state security, in what opposition figures and rights advocates describe as part of an intensifying crackdown on political dissent.

Marzouki, who served as president from 2011 to 2014 and has lived in exile in Paris, remains a vocal critic of current President Kais Saied, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

He has accused Saied of dismantling Tunisia’s democratic institutions, particularly since the 2021 dismissal of parliament and consolidation of power under presidential decree. The latest sentence is the third ruling against Marzouki. He had previously received an eight-year sentence in 2023 and a four-year sentence before that, both in separate cases.

In response to the new conviction, Marzouki condemned Tunisia’s judiciary from exile: "I say to these judges: your rulings are invalid, and you are invalid ... you will be tried soon," he said, adding: "Democracy will return." Saied, who took sweeping powers in 2021 claiming the need to restore order and stability, has repeatedly denied accusations of authoritarianism, saying his reforms are necessary for ending political paralysis and rooting out corruption.

In a related development, another Tunisian court sentenced Sahbi Atig, a senior official in the Ennahda party—the country’s main opposition movement—to 15 years in prison on money laundering charges, according to his lawyer. Atig’s sentencing follows a broader pattern of judicial action against political opponents. 

In April, courts handed down sentences of up to 66 years to a number of opposition leaders, lawyers, and businessmen on conspiracy-related charges. Tunisia’s political landscape has shifted dramatically under Saied’s rule. Most opposition leaders are now imprisoned, including Abir Moussi, head of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, Ennahda’s longtime leader—both considered among Saied’s most outspoken adversaries.

By Naila Huseynova