Tunisia’s Court of First Instance will try detained opposition leaders this week on charges of »conspiracy against state security,» defense lawyers have confirmed.
Speaking to Tunisian news agency TAP, the lawyers confirmed that the case will be based on articles 68 and 72 of the Penal Code, which provide for five years in prison for committing crimes against state security and two years if the act is not committed.
Article 72, however, punishes with the death penalty those responsible for «attempting to change the form of government, inciting people to take up arms against each other or causing disorder, murder or looting on Tunisian territory».
According to the Tunisian government, the arrest of the leader of the opposition Ennahda party and former president of the Parliament, Rachid Ghanuchi, is in response to his »inflammatory statements».
In addition, the headquarters of Ennahda and the National Salvation Front were closed and meetings on the premises forbidden, a decision which the Government frames in the framework of the state of emergency in force in the country. This led the opposition to denounce an authoritarian drift in the country and to demand the resignation of the president, Kais Saied.
In recent days, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union have condemned the arrest of Ghanuchi and three other opposition leaders, Belgacem Hassen, Mohamed Cheniba and Mohamed Gumani. The Tunisian Foreign Minister, however, on Wednesday described the statements of the international community as »unacceptable comments».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
