Tunisian Court Sentences Opposition Leaders to 13-66 Years

A Tunisian court has sentenced several opposition leaders, businessmen, and lawyers to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years on charges of conspiring against state security and belonging to a terrorist group. The opposition and rights groups claim these charges are fabricated and view the trial as emblematic of President Kais Saied's increasingly authoritarian rule, noting his consolidation of judicial power since dissolving parliament in 2021 and dismissing the independent Supreme Judicial Council in 2022. Authorities argue that the defendants, which include prominent politicians, former officials, and the ex-head of intelligence, sought to destabilize the country and overthrow Saied. More than 40 individuals were prosecuted, with over 20 reportedly fleeing abroad. Defense lawyers and opposition leaders have denounced the trial as unjust and politically motivated, while Saied maintains that he is combating corruption and disorder among the political elite.