A Tunisian court has sentenced former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh to 34 years in prison over charges he facilitated the departure of fighters to Syria, which he strongly denies.
Larayedh, a senior member of the opposition Ennahdha party, rejected the accusations, stating in court, “I was neither sympathetic, nor complicit, nor neutral, nor lenient towards violence, terrorism.”
He also added, “This is not about justice, it’s about political retribution.”
According to state news agency TAP, Larayedh’s conviction is part of a wider set of sentences handed down to eight individuals, with prison terms ranging from 18 to 36 years. The court did not name those convicted alongside Larayedh.
This ruling is the latest blow to Ennahdha, which has labelled the case politically motivated, claiming it is part of a broader crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied’s rule.
Larayedh, detained since 2022, is among several political figures convicted recently. Ennahdha maintains that the charges are unfounded and argues that Saied’s government is using legal action to target its opponents.
Human rights groups warn that Tunisia’s democratic progress, achieved after the 2011 revolution, is being steadily eroded.
Protests against Saied’s regime have intensified, with demonstrators accusing him of undermining democracy. On Thursday, protesters marched in Tunis chanting, “Saied go away, you are a dictator,” echoing the 2011 uprising that ousted former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
While Saied’s supporters held counter-rallies, calling for him to remain in power, critics argue that his increasingly authoritarian actions threaten Tunisia’s fragile democracy.
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