Khaberni - The leader of the Ennahda Movement and former President of the Tunisian Parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, announced on Tuesday that he will not appeal the court decision that sentenced him to 20 years in prison in what is known as "Conspiracy Case 2", stating that the trial lacks justice guarantees.
This statement was part of an official press release published on Facebook by Ghannouchi's defense team, which states "The Defense team wishes to inform the public about Ghannouchi's decision to refuse to appeal the verdict due to his strong conviction of the lack of fair trial guarantees, and that the cases against him are politically fabricated."
The statement added that "Remote trials undermine the right to defense,” highlighting Ghannouchi's refusal to participate in it both at the primary and appellate levels.
The defense team emphasized their absolute adherence to Ghannouchi’s innocence from the charges attributed to him, affirming the continuation of defending his right to a fair trial and freedom of expression, while adhering to the presumption of innocence.
Increasing the Penalty
The Appeal Court in the capital, Tunis, had increased Ghannouchi's sentence to 20 years in prison, alongside similar sentences for Kamal El Badawi, the former security official, and varying sentences for five other individuals. Earlier, the Primary Court had sentenced them to 14 years.
Ghannouchi has been jailed since April 17, 2023, following a raid on his home under charges of "incitement against state security", and several other verdicts have been issued against him in various cases.
The accused have the right to appeal the Appeal Court's decisions before the Court of Cassation, but this does not suspend the execution of the sentence.
The "Conspiracy 2" case dates back to September 2023, when a judge issued international arrest warrants for 12 people, and this number subsequently increased, including a wide range of detainees. Preliminary sentences ranging from 12 to 14 years, and 35 years for those tried in absentia were issued, along with administrative surveillance for five years. Meanwhile, the defendants have denied the validity of the charges against them.
Previously, the Tunisian authorities had announced that all detainees were being tried on criminal charges, denying the existence of detainees for political reasons. Whereas, political forces in the country consider the exceptional measures initiated by President Kais Saied in July 2021 as a "coup against the constitution and an establishment of individual rule", while Saied describes them as constitutional measures to protect the state from an "imminent danger," insisting that they do not infringe on freedoms and rights.
