A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to 22 years in prison in absentia, citing charges of undermining state security. Marzouki, who led the country from 2011 to 2014, has been an outspoken critic of current President Kais Saied. The verdict has intensified concerns among opposition groups over an escalating clampdown on dissenting voices.
Marzouki, currently in exile in Paris, has consistently accused President Saied of dismantling democratic institutions and imposing authoritarian rule following his 2021 decision to dissolve parliament and rule by decree.
Responding to the ruling, Marzouki dismissed the legitimacy of the court’s decision, stating: “Your rulings are invalid, and you are invalid… You will be tried soon. Democracy will return.”
This latest sentence marks the third conviction against the former leader. In previous cases, he was sentenced to eight years and four years respectively.
In a related development, another court on Friday sentenced Sahbi Atig, a senior member of the Ennahda party—Tunisia’s main opposition group—to 15 years in prison over money laundering charges. His lawyer confirmed the verdict.
Tunisia’s political landscape has seen a series of sweeping sentences in recent months. In April, multiple opposition figures, businessmen, and legal professionals received prison terms of up to 66 years on conspiracy charges.
Most major opposition leaders are now behind bars, including Abir Moussi of the Free Constitutional Party and Rached Ghannouchi, head of Ennahda—both vocal opponents of President Saied’s administration.
