Tunisia’s Former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh Sentenced to 34 Years in Prison
High-Profile Critic Jailed Amid Controversial Terrorism Charges
A Tunisian court has sentenced former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on terrorism-related charges, marking the latest in a series of crackdowns on President Kais Saied’s political opponents.
Video credit to: KBN TV Zambia
Political Motivations Alleged in Case
The 69-year-old leader of the Ennahda party, Tunisia’s largest Islamist political group, was convicted alongside seven others for allegedly forming a terrorist cell and facilitating travel for Tunisians to join extremist groups in Iraq and Syria.
“I am not a criminal… I am a victim in this case,” Laarayedh wrote in a letter to prosecutors last month, maintaining his innocence and claiming political persecution.
Wider Crackdown on Dissent
The sentencing comes amid growing concerns about democratic backsliding in Tunisia, with at least 40 critics of President Saied imprisoned in recent weeks, including diplomats, lawyers, and journalists.
Human rights organizations have condemned the trials as politically motivated, with Human Rights Watch describing them as attempts to silence opposition through terrorism accusations.
Democratic Gains Reversed?
The case highlights Tunisia’s complex political landscape following the 2011 Arab Spring, which began in the country after Mohamed Bouazizi’s self-immolation protest against government corruption.
While Ennahda briefly governed after the revolution, many Tunisians now believe democratic progress has eroded under President Saied, who has rewritten the constitution and ruled by decree since dissolving parliament in 2021.
The president has defended his actions as necessary to combat “traitors” and foreign interference, rejecting both domestic and international criticism of his increasingly authoritarian rule.