Leader of the PIVT detained and sentenced to prison

On May 15, the Supreme Court of Tunisia sentenced the leader of the Tunisian Ennahda Party Rashid Ghannouchi to 1 year in prison.

The politician’s lawyer informed the media that Ghannouchi himself rejected all the charges, calling them “politically motivated and biased,” boycotted the court, and did not even attend the hearing.

The Tunisian Ennahda Party condemned the sentence against its leader Rashid Ghannouchi in a statement, calling the verdict “unjust and politically motivated,” and called for the immediate release of the politician.

Rashid Ghannouchi is a well-known politician, leader, and one of the founders of the moderate Islamic political party, the Tunisian Ennahda Party.

Previously, Ghannouchi had been sentenced to prison twice. For a long time, the politician lived outside the country. He returned to Tunisia in 2011, after the escape of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

On November 13, 2019, Ghannouchi was elected chairman of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (parliament) and held this position until 2021, when the country’s president Kais Saied dissolved the parliament.