A Tunisian judge has issued international arrest warrants for 12 prominent political figures, charging them with forming a terrorist alliance and conspiring against the state.
The spokeswoman for the Anti-Terrorism Judicial Pole, Hanan Qaddas, said: “International subpoena [arrest] warrants were issued against 12 fugitives, all of whom were proven to be outside Tunisian territory.”
Qaddas said that the arrest warrants were issued against former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, former Director of the Presidential Office Nadia Akacha, the son of Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, Moadh Ghannouchi, and former officials Kamal Al-Qizani, Maher Zaid, Lotfi Zeytoun, Abdelkader Farahat amongst others.
Social media users were shocked by publishing the list of the wanted officials months after their departure from the country legally although they were "suspects.”
A number of activists, former ministers, journalists, lawyers, and businessmen who opposed the political approach of President Kais Saied upon declaring the extraordinary measures on July 25, 2021 have been gradually arrested since the end of 2021.
The rest were arrested in February for six months. Then their arrest was extended for an additional four months. The move was severely criticized by the defense that demanded the judiciary to offer serious justifications for the extension.
Dozens of politicians from the opposition who remain in jail for months face charges of conspiracy against the state and financial corruption.
The opposition however considers these accusations “malicious” and accuses the country’s president of “pressuring the judiciary.”
