Moncef Marzouki has been handed a 22-year jail term in absentia in Tunisia on charges of undermining state security, raising the opposition's fears of
Moncef Marzouki has been handed a 22-year jail term in absentia in Tunisia on charges of undermining state security, raising the opposition’s fears of an escalating crackdown against critics.
A Tunisian court on Friday, June 20th 2025, slapped a long jail term on Marzouk, who ruled from 2011-2014 as the president of the North African state. During his reign, he accused the current president, Kais Saied, of being authoritarian after dismissing the parliament and ruling by decree since seizing power in 2011.
Marzouk, who is currently in exile, reacted from Paris and described the ruling as invalid, and described the judges as invalid and promised their trial will also be held soon. He assured them of the return of Democracy soon in Tunisia.
On Friday, one senior figure of Tunisia’s main opposition, Sahbi Atig, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for money laundering. In April 2025, many leaders of the opposition party, lawyers and businessmen were sentenced to a combined 66 years’ jail term.
Tunisia’s political unrest is beyond imagination as powerful opposition leaders like Abir Moussi and Rached Ghannouchi are all behind bars. Democracy in the North African state is very questionable, as opposition leaders are always in trouble.
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