Tunisia’s Ghannouchi in Court Again for Incitement against Police

The head of Tunisia's Islamist movement Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi greets supporters upon arrival to a police station in Tunis ,on February 21, 2023, in compliance to the summons of an investigating judge. (AFP)
The head of Tunisia's Islamist movement Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi greets supporters upon arrival to a police station in Tunis ,on February 21, 2023, in compliance to the summons of an investigating judge. (AFP)
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Tunisia’s Ghannouchi in Court Again for Incitement against Police

The head of Tunisia's Islamist movement Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi greets supporters upon arrival to a police station in Tunis ,on February 21, 2023, in compliance to the summons of an investigating judge. (AFP)
The head of Tunisia's Islamist movement Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi greets supporters upon arrival to a police station in Tunis ,on February 21, 2023, in compliance to the summons of an investigating judge. (AFP)

Rached Ghannouchi, Tunisia's former parliament speaker, appeared before an investigative judge on Tuesday to be questioned on suspicion of incitement against the police, which he and his Ennahda party deny.

Ghannouchi's lawyer said the accusation was based on a complaint by police about a speech he gave last year at the funeral of a party member, saying the deceased "did not fear a ruler or a tyrant, he only feared God".

The lawyer said the police objected to the reference to a tyrant and that they viewed the language as close to that used by extremist militants to describe secular authorities.

Ghannouchi, who was greeted outside the court by dozens of his supporters and activists, has described the case against him as "empty and fabricated, and a continuation of the political targeting of enemies of [President] Kais Saied".

The leader of Tunisia's main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, meanwhile denounced the "judicial relentlessness" targeting Ghannouchi.

"It is a short-sighted policy in the face of economic and social failures and the international isolation" of the authorities, Ahmed Nejib Chebbi told AFP outside the court.

"Repression has never stemmed the flow of freedom," he added.

Last year Ghannouchi was brought before judges to answer accusations of money laundering related to Ennahda financing and that the party had helped Tunisian extremists go to Syria to fight.



Oxfam Says 80% of Gaza’s Water Infrastructure Is Damaged

Palestinians gather among the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians gather among the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
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Oxfam Says 80% of Gaza’s Water Infrastructure Is Damaged

Palestinians gather among the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians gather among the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)

The international charity Oxfam says 80% of water and sanitation networks in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war.

The damaged networks, including all six major wastewater treatment plants, have accelerated the spread of water-borne disease as hundreds of thousands of people shelter in tent camps, Oxfam said.

In a report this week, the World Bank estimated it would cost over $50 billion to rebuild Gaza. That’s well over twice the total Palestinian economic output in 2022.

With the future of the ceasefire in doubt, and Israel and Egypt maintaining a blockade of Gaza, it is unclear when or how anything will be rebuilt.