A Tunisian court has handed jail terms to dozens of opposition leaders, lawyers, and businessmen accused of attempting to overthrow the nation's president.
Forty people, including opposition leader Jawahar Ben Mbarek, received sentences ranging from four to 45 years over an alleged conspiracy to oust President Kais Saied.
Human rights groups have condemned the trial as politically motivated, highlighting the ongoing suppression of dissent since Saied suspended Tunisia’s parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree.
Tunisian authorities claim the defendants, including former head of intelligence Kamel Guizani, conspired to destabilize the country and topple Saied. Ben Mbarek, along with fellow party leaders Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi, received 20-year sentences, while businessman Kamel Ltaif was sentenced to 45 years.
Ben Mbarek has been on a hunger strike for over a month, raising concerns for his health, as news reports indicate he is at risk of dying.
Among those sentenced in absentia were political figures such as Bochra Belhaj Hmida and international voices including French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, further indicating the broad scope of the crackdown.
The appeals court's final rulings come after initial sentences were handed out in April, wherein Saied labeled the defendants 'terrorists'. A lawyer for the defendants labeled the trial as a 'farce', claiming it serves the purpose of eliminating political opposition.
Amnesty International condemned the sentences as unjust, stating they reflect a dire situation within the Tunisian justice system. The group's representative, Sara Hashash, noted that the trials exemplify the government's misuse of judicial power to silence dissent.
In the wake of these developments, thousands of Tunisians took to the streets in anti-government protests, accusing Saied of tightening his grip on power through the judiciary and police. Once a beacon of hope following the Arab Spring, Tunisia appears to be retreating into authoritarianism under the current regime.
