A Tunisian court has sent politicians, lawyers and business people to prison for many years. They were found guilty of planning against the government and terrorism. The case has caused anger as many believe it was unfair.
Some got up to 66 years in jail. Those punished include leaders of Tunisia’s biggest opposition group, the National Salvation Front. They were arrested last year.
Human rights groups say the trial was used to silence critics. One defense lawyer called it a “farce”.
President Kais Saied first took power in 2019. Last year he won another term easily after putting his opponents in jail.
In this case, 40 people were accused of working against the state and being in a terrorist group. Most had already left Tunisia and were tried without being there.
Two well-known opposition leaders, Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek, got 18 years each. A businessman named Kamel Eltaief received the longest sentence – 66 years.
A former minister who was tried while abroad said: “This is not a judiciary ruling, but a political decree executed by judges under orders.”
Tunisia was where the Arab Spring protests started in 2011. These protests removed the country’s longtime ruler.
Now, groups like Amnesty International say Tunisia is losing its freedoms under Saied. They say he is becoming more controlling.
Saied says he is just fighting corruption and traitors. But as more opponents go to jail, many worry Tunisia is going back to its old ways.
