A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to 22 years in prison in absentia on charges of undermining state security, further intensifying concerns about the ongoing crackdown on opposition voices under President Kais Saied’s rule.
The ruling was delivered on Friday, adding to two earlier convictions against Marzouki, who previously led the country from 2011 to 2014. He now lives in exile in Paris and remains a vocal critic of Saied, accusing him of dismantling democratic institutions and consolidating power through authoritarian means.
“This sentence is worthless. Those judges and their rulings are illegitimate,” Marzouki said in response to the court’s decision. “Democracy will return.”
Since Saied dissolved parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021, dozens of political figures have faced legal action, many of them imprisoned. The government claims its actions are meant to restore order and address corruption, but critics say the judiciary is being used as a tool to silence dissent.
On the same day as Marzouki’s sentencing, a court also handed a 15-year sentence to Sahbi Atig, a senior official from the Ennahda party, on money laundering charges. His lawyer confirmed the verdict, describing it as part of a broader campaign against political opposition.
In April, Tunisian courts sentenced several high-profile political leaders, lawyers, and businessmen to lengthy prison terms, with some verdicts reaching up to 66 years over alleged conspiracy charges.
Many leading opposition figures are now behind bars, including Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party, and Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party. Both have been vocal in their criticism of President Saied.
