Ahmad 
The judicial authorities in Tunisia revealed that 21 prominent opposition figures, including the head of the Ennahda Movement, Rached Ghannouchi, and a number of political figures, were referred to the criminal chamber specializing in terrorism cases.
The official spokesman for the Court of Appeal in Tunisia, Habib Tarkhani, stated that the court rejected the release requests submitted by some of the defendants, noting that the charges varied between conspiring against state security and belonging to illegal organizations.
The defendants also include Youssef Chahed, the former Prime Minister, Lotfi Zitoun, the former Minister, in addition to Nadia Akacha, the former Director of President Saied’s Office.
The charges are in the context of a case known as the “secret apparatus of the Ennahda Movement,” where the competent chamber is holding its sessions to consider the evidence and data submitted. Ghannouchi previously faced charges that led to a one-year prison sentence and three years of administrative monitoring.
It is noteworthy that human rights organizations have accused President Kais Saied, since he took power in July 2021, of launching campaigns against political opponents, as several former members of parliament, journalists, and human rights activists have been arrested, and reports indicate that more than 40 people have been investigated for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the “intimidation and harassment” of lawyers and activists, warning of the deterioration of the human rights situation in Tunisia, and Amnesty International issued statements calling on the Tunisian government to stop the deterioration of human rights, noting that basic freedoms in the country are facing a severe setback.
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