In Tunisia, former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh was sentenced to 34 years in prison on charges related to terrorism. Ali Laarayedh served as the Minister of the Interior from 2011–2013 and as the Prime Minister from 2013–2014. He is also considered one of the leaders of the «Ennahda» party. According to the court's verdict, he was found guilty of sending militants to conflict zones outside Tunisia, writes "Zamon.uz".
Ali Laarayedh has been in custody since 2022. Within the scope of this case, another 7 people were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 to 36 years. In February 2024, the leader of the "Ennahda" party and former speaker of the parliament, 83-year-old Rached Ghannouchi, was also sentenced to 22 years in prison.
For context, in 2021, Tunisia experienced mass protests following a sharp decline in the standard of living, after which President Kais Saied dissolved the parliament and dismissed the government. Subsequently, a referendum was held to adopt a new constitution, which extended the powers of the president. Critics describe this process as a retreat from democracy.
