Tunis, Tunisia – July 2025

Rached Ghannouchi, the 82-year-old leader of Tunisia’s largest opposition party Ennahda, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges related to alleged incitement and conspiracy against state security.

The ruling, handed down by a special anti-terrorism court in Tunis, follows months of arrests, media blackouts, and political crackdowns that have intensified under President Kais Saied's increasingly authoritarian rule.

Ghannouchi, who served as speaker of Tunisia’s dissolved parliament, was once hailed as a key figure in the post-Arab Spring democratic transition. His jailing has triggered condemnation from local and international human rights groups, who say the charges are politically motivated.

“This is not justice—this is the criminalization of opposition,” said Amna Souissi, a spokesperson for the Tunisian Human Rights Observatory. “It sends a chilling message to anyone who dares to criticize the government.”

The charges reportedly stem from comments Ghannouchi made during a 2023 public rally, which the state alleges incited violence and undermined national stability. His defense team denies all accusations and has vowed to appeal.

The sentencing follows a broader campaign of repression that has seen dozens of opposition figures, journalists, judges, and civil society leaders arrested or harassed under vague national security laws.

International organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have condemned the move. The European Union issued a statement expressing "deep concern" over Tunisia’s democratic backsliding.

Meanwhile, Ghannouchi’s supporters have staged peaceful protests, calling for his immediate release and a return to constitutional rule.

Tunisia, once considered the lone democratic success story of the Arab Spring, now faces mounting pressure to halt its slide into autocracy.