TUNIS: Rached Ghannouchi, the jailed leader of the Tunisian opposition party Ennahdha, was sentenced Thursday to a new three-year prison term for the illegal financing of his party, his lawyer said.
A rival of Tunisia's President Kais Saied, Ghannouchi -- who was already serving a 15-month prison sentence over charges related to "terrorism" -- was sentenced for receiving "foreign financing" for the Islamist party, his lawyer Sami Triki told AFP.
His son-in-law Rafik Abdessalam, a former foreign minister, was tried in absentia in the same case and also sentenced to three years in prison.
In addition to the prison sentences for Ghannouchi and his son-in-law, Ennahdha was ordered to pay a fine of $1.17 million.
Ghannouchi, 82, was arrested in April 2023 for inciting violence and plotting against state security, after he said that eradicating differing political viewpoints from left-wing or Islamist parties might lead to a "civil war" in the North African country.
He was convicted last May and sentenced to 12 months in jail, which was then lengthened to 15 months on appeal in October.
His conviction followed a complaint from a police union over comments he had made in early 2022 during the funeral of an Ennahdha official.
He had said the official "did not fear the powerful nor tyrants", a comment which prosecutors said disparaged police officers.
"Ghannouchi has been in jail for a year at the doing of the prince (Saied)," veteran politician Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, who heads Tunisia's main opposition coalition the National Salvation Front, told AFP on Thursday.
"He has no guarantee of a fair trial. He has refused to present himself for trial, and he has my complete backing.
"When there is respect for human rights and freedoms and justice is independent, then we can talk about a fair trial," Chebbi added.
"All that's happening now is those in power taking revenge on their adversaries."
Ghannouchi, whose party dominated Tunisia following the 2011 revolt that toppled the dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is the most well-known opposition figure imprisoned since Saied's power grab in July 2021.
Rights groups have since reported a crackdown on opposition figures, including politicians and businessmen.
They include the arrest on October 5 last year and jailing of Abir Moussi, head of the Free Destourian Party, a movement often described as nostalgic for the dictatorship independence hero Habib Bourguiba and his successor Ben Ali.
New jail term for Tunisian opposition chief Ghannouchi
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New jail term for Tunisian opposition chief Ghannouchi
- A rival of Tunisia's President Kais Saied, Ghannouchi was sentenced for receiving "foreign financing" for the Islamist party
- Ghannouchi, 82, was arrested in April 2023 for inciting violence and plotting against state security
How one displaced family in Gaza is observing Ramadan’s first day under a fragile ceasefire deal
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip: Waleed al Zamli longingly recalled the joys and traditions of the first day of Ramadan before the Israel-Hamas war had drastically altered his life: Lanterns for the children. Sweets. Special dishes.
“Before the war, we would greet it with happiness,” the father of 11 said, speaking from Muwasi, an area crowded with tents sheltering Palestinians who were forced by the Israeli military offensive to flee their homes.
Not anymore, he said.
It saddens and pains him that he’s unable to provide for his family, which now ekes out an existence in displacement. Al Zamli lost his job after the shop where he had worked was destroyed, he said.
So, for the first Ramadan “iftar,” the fast-breaking meal, his wife picked up meals Wednesday from a charity kitchen that the family has heavily depended on. She made soup to go with it.
“This year, there’s no happiness,” al Zamli said.
Hardships and losses dampen Ramadan’s spirit for many
Ramadan arrived in Gaza under a fragile ceasefire deal, but many Palestinians there say the month’s typically festive spirit is eluding them as they grapple with the hardships of their daily lives and the grief and losses of the war.
Some of these difficulties were on display at the charity kitchen where dozens crowded, many with their arms outstretched as they vied for a spot and held empty pots. They included children, women and elderly people.
During Ramadan, observant Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset. It’s a time for increased worship, religious reflection and charity. In normal circumstances, the month often brings families and friends together to break their fast in joyous gatherings.
But circumstances in Gaza are far from normal. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and caused widespread destruction and displaced most of the territory’s residents. Israel launched the offensive after Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage in their attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
For al Zamli, the biggest challenge this Ramadan is providing food for his family. He said he’s received limited aid. Foods, like meat and poultry, are more expensive than their prewar prices, he said, and with no income many items are beyond his reach.
“The children want to feel happy like other people’s children, to get dressed and to eat something clean and special,” he said.
The financial strain can be especially amplified during Ramadan, he said. Typically, many shoppers throng to markets to stock up on food staples and buy decor and other supplies. Food can play a central role as the daily fasting gives way to nourishing, and for some elaborate, iftar meals. Muslims also eat a predawn meal known as “suhoor” to nurture their bodies ahead of the fast.
As Gaza residents visited markets this week, some lamented how economic woes cast a pall on the month.
Ramadan decorations among the ruins
Still, amid the struggles, some in the Gaza Strip have worked to bring a taste of the month’s festivities — for example, hanging strands of Ramadan decorations among the ruins. At their displacement camp, al Zamli’s children played with empty soda cans fashioned to look like Ramadan lanterns.
The Oct. 10 US-brokered ceasefire deal attempted to halt more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.
Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing more than 600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. But it does not distinguish between civilians and militants.
Militants have carried out shooting attacks on Israeli troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.
Despite some much-needed respite under the shaky ceasefire deal, many daily struggles, big and small, persisted.
Al Zamli said the war has deprived him and his family of many things. A son-in-law, he said, was killed, shortly after he married his now-widowed daughter.
This Ramadan, he will pray “for the bloodshed to end … and to feel security, safety, and tranquility” and “to be able to provide good food and clothes for our children.”
