Latest news with #Laarayedh
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tunisia jails ex-prime minister on terrorism charges
A court in Tunisia has sentenced former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on a raft of terrorism charges. He is the latest high-profile critic of the president to be jailed as campaigners slam "sham trials" in the country. The 69-year-old is a prominent opponent of President Kais Saied and leader of the popular Ennadha party - the biggest in parliament - which promotes Islamist ideals. Along with seven other people, Laarayedh was charged with setting up a terrorist cell and helping young Tunisians travel abroad to join Islamist fighters in Iraq and Syria. "I am not a criminal... I am a victim in this case," he wrote in a letter to the court's prosecutor last month, according to the AFP news agency. He was sentenced on Friday. Laarayedh has consistently denied any wrongdoing and said the case was politically motivated. In recent weeks, at least 40 critics of Tunisia's president have been sent to prison - including diplomats, lawyers and journalists. Rights groups say these trials have highlighted Saied's authoritarian control over the judiciary, after dissolving parliament in 2021 and ruling by decree. Since he was first elected six years ago, the former law professor has rewritten the constitution to enhance his powers. Laarayedh was arrested three years ago and campaigners had called for his release -including Human Rights Watch, who said the affair seemed like "one more example of President Saied's authorities trying to silence leaders of the Ennahda party and other opponents by tarring them as terrorists". Ennahdha governed the North African nation for a short while after a popular uprising dubbed the Arab Spring. The protest movement originated in Tunisia - where a vegetable-seller called Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself in despair of government corruption - and mass demonstrations soon spread across the wider region in 2011. However many Tunisians say the democratic gains made have since been lost, pointing to the current president's authoritarian grip on power. Yet President Saied has rejected criticism from inside and outside the country, saying he is fighting "traitors" and suffering "blatant foreign interference". Tunisia's president - saviour or usurper of power? Pink flamingos 'seized from smugglers' in Tunisia 'My black skin says I don't belong in Tunisia' The fisherman who found a dead baby in his net Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tunisia jails ex-prime minister on terrorism charges
A court in Tunisia has sentenced former Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on a raft of terrorism charges. He is the latest high-profile critic of the president to be jailed as campaigners slam "sham trials" in the country. The 69-year-old is a prominent critic of President Kais Saied and leader of the popular Ennadha party - the biggest in parliament - which promotes Islamist ideals. Along with seven other people, Laarayedh was charged with setting up a terrorist cell and helping young Tunisians travel abroad to join Islamist fighters in Iraq and Syria. "I am not a criminal... I am a victim in this case," he wrote in a letter to the court's prosecutor last month, according to the AFP news agency. He was sentenced on Friday. Laarayedh has consistently denied any wrongdoing and said the case was politically motivated. In recent weeks, at least 40 critics of Tunisia's president have been sent to prison - including diplomats, lawyers and journalists. Rights groups say these trials have highlighted Saied's authoritarian control over the judiciary, after dissolving parliament in 2021 and ruling by decree. Since he was first elected six years ago, the former law professor has rewritten the constitution to enhance his powers. Laarayedh was arrested three years ago and campaigners had called for his release -including Human Rights Watch, who said the affair seemed like "one more example of President Saied's authorities trying to silence leaders of the Ennahda party and other opponents by tarring them as terrorists". Ennahdha governed the North African nation for a short while after a popular uprising dubbed the Arab Spring. The protest movement originated in Tunisia - where a vegetable-seller called Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself in despair of government corruption - and mass demonstrations soon spread across the wider region in 2011. However many Tunisians say the democratic gains made have since been lost, pointing to the current president's authoritarian grip on power. Yet President Saied has rejected criticism from inside and outside the country, saying he is fighting "traitors" and suffering "blatant foreign interference". Tunisia's president - saviour or usurper of power? Pink flamingos 'seized from smugglers' in Tunisia 'My black skin says I don't belong in Tunisia' The fisherman who found a dead baby in his net Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Tunisian ex-PM jailed for 34 years on terror charges: media
TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced former prime minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on terrorism charges for helping send jihadist fighters to Iraq and Syria, media reported. Laarayedh, 69, was leader of the Islamist party Ennahdha, which briefly governed Tunisia following a popular uprising in 2011 that launched the Arab Spring. He is a critic of President Kais Saied. He was arrested in December 2022, accused of forming a terrorist group and helping Tunisians travel to join jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, his lawyer Oussama Bouthelja told AFP. Laarayedh denied the charges and his lawyers branded the case politically motivated. 'I am not a criminal... I am a victim in this case,' he wrote in a letter addressed to the Tunis prosecutor's office on April 18. The Tunis criminal court on Friday also handed 26-year sentences to two former members of the security forces, Fathi Al-Baldi and Abdul Karim Al-Abidi, several media reported. Radio station Mosaiqe cited a judicial source saying sentences for the eight defendants ranged from 18 to 36 years. It was the latest in a series of prosecutions targeting people critical of Saied. In one recent trial, some 40 defendants recieved hefty sentences. The UN said about 5,500 Tunisians fought with jihadist groups including the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria and Libya between 2011 and 2016.
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Tunisian ex-PM jailed for 34 years on terror charges
TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced former prime minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on terrorism charges for helping send jihadist fighters to Iraq and Syria, media reported. Laarayedh, 69, was leader of the Islamist party Ennahdha, which briefly governed Tunisia following a popular uprising in 2011 that launched the Arab Spring. He is a critic of President Kais Saied. He was arrested in December 2022, accused of forming a terrorist group and helping Tunisians travel to join jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, his lawyer Oussama Bouthelja told AFP. Laarayedh denied the charges and his lawyers branded the case politically motivated. 'I am not a criminal... I am a victim in this case,' he wrote in a letter addressed to the Tunis prosecutor's office on April 18. The Tunis criminal court on Friday also handed 26-year sentences to two former members of the security forces, Fathi Al-Baldi and Abdul Karim Al-Abidi, several media reported. Radio station Mosaiqe cited a judicial source saying sentences for the eight defendants ranged from 18 to 36 years. It was the latest in a series of prosecutions targeting people critical of Saied. In one recent trial, some 40 defendants recieved hefty sentences. The UN said about 5,500 Tunisians fought with jihadist groups including the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria and Libya between 2011 and 2016.
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Tunisian ex-PM jailed for 34 years on terror charges
TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced former prime minister Ali Laarayedh to 34 years in prison on terrorism charges for helping send jihadist fighters to Iraq and Syria, media reported. Laarayedh, 69, was leader of the Islamist party Ennahdha, which briefly governed Tunisia following a popular uprising in 2011 that launched the Arab Spring. He is a critic of President Kais Saied. He was arrested in December 2022, accused of forming a terrorist group and helping Tunisians travel to join jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, his lawyer Oussama Bouthelja told AFP. Laarayedh denied the charges and his lawyers branded the case politically motivated. "I am not a criminal... I am a victim in this case," he wrote in a letter addressed to the Tunis prosecutor's office on April 18. The Tunis criminal court on Friday also handed 26-year sentences to two former members of the security forces, Fathi Al-Baldi and Abdul Karim Al-Abidi, several media reported. Radio station Mosaiqe cited a judicial source saying sentences for the eight defendants ranged from 18 to 36 years. It was the latest in a series of prosecutions targeting people critical of Saied. In one recent trial, some 40 defendants received hefty sentences. The UN said about 5,500 Tunisians fought with jihadist groups including the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria and Libya between 2011 and 2016.--AFP
