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Tunisia’s Ghannouchi Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi. Reuters file photo
Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi. Reuters file photo
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Tunisia’s Ghannouchi Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi. Reuters file photo
Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi. Reuters file photo

A Tunisian judge on Thursday sentenced opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, to three years in prison on charges of accepting external financing, his lawyer Monia Bouali told Reuters.
Ghannouchi, 82, head of the Ennahda main opposition party, has been in prison since April. Last year he was sentenced to a year in prison on charges of incitement against police.
Bouali added that the court also imprisoned Ghannouchi’s son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem who is a senior Ennahda official, to three years in prison in the same case, in addition to fining the party $1.1 million.
Last year, Tunisian authorities banned meetings at all Ennahda offices and police closed the headquarters of the Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition, in what rights groups called a de facto ban.

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France Says Algeria Threatening to Expel Diplomatic Staff 

This handout photograph released by French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) shows France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot meeting with Algeria's Foreign Minister at the ministry headquarters in Algiers on April 6, 2025. (AFP Photo / Handout / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
This handout photograph released by French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) shows France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot meeting with Algeria's Foreign Minister at the ministry headquarters in Algiers on April 6, 2025. (AFP Photo / Handout / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
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France Says Algeria Threatening to Expel Diplomatic Staff 

This handout photograph released by French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) shows France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot meeting with Algeria's Foreign Minister at the ministry headquarters in Algiers on April 6, 2025. (AFP Photo / Handout / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
This handout photograph released by French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) shows France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot meeting with Algeria's Foreign Minister at the ministry headquarters in Algiers on April 6, 2025. (AFP Photo / Handout / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)

France said on Monday that Algeria had threatened to expel 12 of its diplomatic staff and that it would take immediate reprisals should that occur in the latest flare-up between them.

Algeria protested over the weekend against Frances's detention of an Algerian consular agent suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an Algerian. French media said three people, including the diplomat, were under investigation over the seizure of Algerian government opponent Amir Boukhors.

"The Algerian authorities are demanding that 12 of our agents leave Algerian territory within 48 hours," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a statement.

"If the decision to expel our agents is maintained, we will have no choice but to respond immediately."

There was no immediate confirmation from Algeria of an imminent expulsion.

France's relations with its former colony have long been complicated, but took a turn for the worse last year when French President Emmanuel Macron angered Algeria by backing Morocco's position over the disputed Western Sahara region.

Only last week, Barrot had said ties were returning to normal after a visit to Algeria.