Tunisia's Highest Court Upholds Long Prison Sentences for Prominent Opposition Figures

Tunisia’s Court of Cassation has dismissed the final appeal in a mass trial involving dozens of opposition figures, upholding prison sentences of up to 45 years. The defendants were accused of conspiring to overthrow President Kais Saied.

The ruling issued on Thursday concludes three years of legal proceedings affecting 40 individuals, which includes opposition party leaders, lawyers, businessmen, and human rights defenders. Half of those convicted had previously fled the country and received sentences in absentia.

Among the prominent individuals sentenced are National Salvation Front leader Najib Chebbi, who received a 12-year sentence, alongside opposition figures Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, and Ridha Belhaj, who were each sentenced to 20 years. Additionally, politician Noureddine Bhiri received a 10-year sentence.

“The ruling confirms that the judiciary is not independent,” stated Haifa Chebbi, a lawyer and the daughter of Najib Chebbi. She added that her father and the other defendants were silenced through a legal process designed to imprison political opponents, asserting that they entered prison by political decision and will only leave when President Saied falls.

Defense lawyers reported they were only notified of Thursday's hearing on Monday, leaving them with insufficient time to prepare an adequate defense. Dalila Msaddek, whose brother Jawhar Ben Mbarek was among the convicted, shared on Facebook that the legal battle has concluded and a purely political battle is now beginning.

This case is widely viewed as a reflection of Tunisia’s democratic backsliding following the election of President Saied in 2019. Since taking office, President Saied has ruled largely by decree, dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council, and dismissed numerous judges.

The government of President Saied has consistently denied allegations of political persecution. The justice minister maintained that the defendants attempted to destabilize the country, while President Saied himself labeled the accused as traitors and terrorists following their arrests in 2023, warning that any judges who acquitted them would be treated as accomplices.