By Mohamed Ghani
Tunis, Tunisia – Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki was sentenced in absentia to 22 years in prison on Friday by a Tunisian court, convicted on terrorism-related charges. The controversial ruling, alongside similar sentences handed down to four co-defendants, has ignited fears of an escalating crackdown on dissent under the leadership of President Kais Saied.
The criminal chamber specializing in terrorism cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance delivered the harsh sentence, which also targeted Marzouki’s former advisor, Imed Daimi, and former head of the national bar association, Abderrazak Kilani, with identical 22-year terms. Two other defendants, Adel Al-Majri and Abdul Nasser Ayat Lyman, were also convicted and sentenced in absentia. All five men are currently residing outside of Tunisia.
While the specific details of the terrorism-related charges remain largely undisclosed, judicial sources indicate the Tunis Court of Appeal had previously ordered their referral to the criminal chamber on these offenses.
The timing of the sentencing, which followed a press conference in Paris where Marzouki, Daimi, and Kilani sharply criticized Tunisian state institutions and the judiciary, has raised suspicions of political motivations.
Marzouki, who served as Tunisia’s third president from 2011 to 2014 and now lives in exile in France, has been a vocal critic of President Saied. He has consistently accused Saied of dismantling democratic institutions since his power grab in 2021, which saw him dismiss parliament and begin ruling by decree.
Responding to the verdict, Marzouki issued a scathing statement, dismissing the sentence as “surreal” and part of a “series of verdicts” targeting government critics. He condemned the Tunisian judiciary, labeling them “garbage judges,” and declared all decisions made under what he considers Saied’s illegitimate regime to be null and void.
“The coup against the constitution and the democratic institutions is invalid. Everything built on its judgments, laws, and policies is invalid,” Marzouki stated. He further warned that those complicit in Saied’s unconstitutional rule would eventually face justice.
Despite his exile, Marzouki remains optimistic about Tunisia’s future, expressing confidence that the country will eventually restore democracy, rebuild its institutions, and liberate its citizens from oppression.
This latest sentence adds to Marzouki’s existing legal woes. He had previously been sentenced in absentia to a total of 12 years in prison in two separate cases, including one for allegedly “provoking disorder.”
The verdict against Marzouki is likely to further exacerbate tensions within Tunisia and draw international scrutiny, with human rights organizations already voicing concerns about the erosion of democratic freedoms under President Saied’s leadership. The case highlights the increasingly fraught political landscape in Tunisia and raises questions about the future of democratic governance in the country.
