World News
Tunisian top court upholds long prison sentences for 40 opposition figures
The Court of Cassation rejected the final appeal in a mass conspiracy case involving politicians, lawyers, and activists accused of plotting against President Kais Saied.
The short version
- Tunisia's Court of Cassation rejected final appeals, upholding prison terms of up to 45 years for 40 opposition leaders, lawyers, and public figures.
- Half of the defendants were sentenced in absentia after fleeing the country, while those remaining in custody face multi-year terms.
- Defense lawyers and human rights critics condemned the trial as politically motivated and lacking due process, whereas the government asserted the accused attempted to destabilize the state.
- The ruling concludes three years of formal legal proceedings, leaving no remaining domestic avenues for appeal.
Key facts
- Tunisia's Court of Cassation upheld conspiracy convictions and sentences reaching up to 45 years for 40 defendants accused of plotting against President Kais Saied.[France 24 · Al Jazeera]
- The 40 convicted individuals include opposition leaders, lawyers, human rights defenders, and business figures, 20 of whom fled abroad and received in absentia sentences.[France 24 · Al Jazeera]
- National Salvation Front leader Najib Chebbi received a 12-year prison sentence, politician Noureddine Bhiri received 10 years, and figures Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, and Ridha Belhaj each received 20-year terms.[France 24 · Al Jazeera]
- Defense lawyers reported receiving notification of the final Thursday hearing only three days prior on Monday, arguing it prevented adequate trial preparation.[Al Jazeera]
- President Saied and government officials maintained the judiciary operates independently and rejected persecution claims, stating the defendants conspired to destabilize the country.[France 24 · Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unclear how Tunisian authorities will handle the sentences handed down in absentia to the 20 convicted individuals currently living abroad.[France 24 · Al Jazeera]