Rachid Ghanuchi, leader of Tunisia’s main opposition party, the Islamist Ennahda movement, appeared again before an examining magistrate on Monday as part of an anti-terrorism investigation against him.
Ghanuchi appeared Monday as his supporters gathered outside the gates of the Tunisian court. The Ennahda leader is facing an investigation on suspicion of sending nearly 800 fighters to Syria.
«He is appearing at liberty (…) the Prosecutor’s file is empty,» said a member of the opposition party, Noureddine Bhiri, adding that this is «a vain attempt to divert the attention of public opinion from real social concerns,» as reported by the TAP news agency.
The country is in the midst of preparations for the December 17 elections. In fact, the Independent Higher Instance for Elections (ISIE) announced in September the beginning of the electoral period in the run-up to the elections.
Tunisia is facing a serious political crisis following the decision in July 2021 of the President, Kais Saied, to dissolve the government and suspend the Parliament, which was subsequently dissolved, amidst opposition complaints of an authoritarian drift on the part of the President.