Former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has been sentenced to 34 years in prison under accusations of facilitating fighters' departures to Syria, which he vehemently denies. This ruling is viewed by Larayedh and his Ennahdha party as a politically motivated act aimed to silence opposition to President Kais Saied. His detention and sentencing follow a pattern of increased crackdowns on political dissent since Saied assumed powers in 2021, raising alarms over the erosion of democracy in Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring.
"I was neither sympathetic, nor complicit, nor neutral, nor lenient towards violence, terrorism," Larayedh told the judge on Friday, rejecting what he and his Ennahdha party have called a politically motivated prosecution.
Human rights groups say the crackdown on opposition voices, including the jailing of Souab, marks a dangerous escalation. Many warn that democratic gains in the birthplace of the Arab Spring are being rolled back.
The Ennahdha party denies all terrorism-related allegations, arguing that the case is part of a broader campaign against dissent that has intensified since Saied suspended parliament and assumed sweeping powers.
The government maintains that Tunisia's judiciary is independent, rejecting claims of political interference, even as protests arise from opponents accusing Saied of silencing dissent.
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