One of the strongest critics of Tunisian President Kais Saied, Rached Ghannouchi, has been detained, according to his Ennahdha party on Monday. He is the most recent in a line of opposition leaders who have been detained.
Ghannouchi, 81, was detained by police at his house in Tunis, according to a statement from the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha, whose party was the largest in parliament till Saied abolished the body in July 2021.
“Ennahdha denounces this extremely serious development and calls for the immediate release of Rached Ghannouchi,” the statement said.
At a press conference, Ennahdha Vice-President Mondher Lounissi stated that Ghannouchi had been transported to a police barracks for questioning but that his attorneys were not permitted to attend.
Following media reports in which he allegedly threatened Tunisia with “civil war” if political Islam, from which his party emerged, was eradicated there, his arrest followed.
Ghannouchi’s detention was related to these remarks, according to a source in the interior ministry who was cited by Tunisian media.
Authorities in the North African nation have detained more than 20 political opponents and figures since early February.
Politicians, former ministers, businesspeople, labour activists, and the proprietor of Mosaique FM, Tunisia’s most well-liked radio station, have all been among them.
The detainees, according to Saied, 65, were “terrorists” who were engaged in a “conspiracy against state security.”
The arrests, which targeted prominent members of the National Salvation Front (FSN), the largest opposition alliance that includes Ennahdha, have drawn criticism from local and international human rights organisations.
“The arrest of the leader of the most important political party in the country, and who has always shown his commitment to peaceful political action, marks a new phase in the crisis,” FSN head Ahmed Nejib Chebbi told AFP late Monday.
“This is blind revenge against opponents,” he added.
Before Saied disbanded the parliament of Tunisia, Ghannouchi served as its speaker. After Saied’s action, Ghannouchi used a series of actions that his detractors have labelled a “coup” to acquire extensive power.
After being accused of calling police officers “tyrants,” he also had an appearance in court at the end of February on allegations relating to terrorism.
In November of last year, Ghannouchi appeared in court in relation to claims that his party had aided jihadists’ journey to Iraq and Syria.
Prior to that, he was questioned on possible money laundering in connection with foreign donations to a charity with ties to Ennahdha.
Saied’s detractors charge him of reestablishing dictatorial authority in Tunisia, the only democracy to survive the Arab Spring protests in the Middle East more than ten years ago.
He has ruled by decree ever since his dramatic power grab, and last year he rushed through a constitution that granted his office unchecked power and rendered parliament ineffective.
Following the country’s 2011 revolt, Ghannouchi—who had been exiled for more than 20 years under the late dictator Zine El Abidine Ali—returned and rose to prominence in Tunisian politics.
However, his popularity has steadily declined as a result of criticisms that he is a cunning pragmatist who will stop at nothing to maintain his position of authority.
He has consistently been able to ensure that Ennahdha has remained crucial in the different coalitions since the revolt, despite his inability to secure an outright majority.
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