PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar has issued a global call to condemn a 22-year prison sentence imposed on Tunisia’s speaker of Parliament Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi.
Describing the sentence on the 83-year-old leader of the Ennahda Party as politically motivated and heinous, Nurul Izzah said the global community must urgently address the escalating assault on justice and democracy in Tunisia under President Kais Saied.
“This verdict, issued amidst Tunisia’s worsening socioeconomic crisis, represents a flagrant abuse of judicial power and a deliberate effort to crush dissent and democratic aspirations.
“The trial in the so-called ‘Instalingo Case’ has been riddled with procedural violations, including the denial of legal representation, baseless charges, and the absence of credible evidence,” she said, echoing reported criticisms from within Tunisia.
“Such actions flagrantly contravene international human rights standards and the principles of due process, revealing a regime determined to silence opposition under the guise of legal proceedings.
“We stand behind Sheikh Rached’s decision to boycott the flawed trial procedures,” said Nurul Izzah in a statement today.
40 others also sentenced
It was reported that a Tunisian court on Feb 5 had sentenced 41 people including Sheikh Rached to prison for terms ranging from five to 54 years.
The case began in October 2021, when authorities arrested employees of Instalingo - a digital content production firm - and investigated journalists, bloggers, businesspeople, and politicians on charges of "offending president Kais," "conspiring against state security," and "espionage."
Ennahda had reportedly denied the charges, saying Instalingo was "a media content company that provided various services, including work on election campaigns in 2019 - but not for Ennahda's candidate."
Tunisia deserves freedom, justice
Nurul Izzah, who credited the Tunisian people as having courageously ignited the Arab Spring in 2011, said they deserve a future rooted in the ideals of their revolution - freedom, dignity, and justice.
Instead they face a regression into authoritarianism, where courts are weaponised to punish critics and stifle pluralism, she pointed out.
“These actions not only betray Tunisia’s constitutional commitments but also threaten the fragile progress toward democracy in the region,” she stressed in reaffirming PKR’s solidarity with Sheikh Rached, the Ennahda, and all Tunisians resisting tyranny.
“We condemn the politicisation of the judiciary and call for the immediate release of all political prisoners unjustly detained.
“The global community - including multilateral institutions, human rights organisations, and democratic governments - must demand accountability for these violations and pressure the Tunisian regime to halt its repression,” she added.
Other than Sheikh Rached, others reportedly convicted in the same case include former prime minister Hichem Mechichi who was sentenced to 35 years and journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek, sentenced to five years imprisonment. - Mkini
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