Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki sentenced to eight years in prison

Tunisian courts have condemned former president Moncef Marzouki to eight years in jail. He faces “assaulting state security” and incitement accusations. After the 2011 revolution that overthrew Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Marzouki led Tunisia from December 2011 until 2014.
Since President Kais Saied’s 2021 power grab, Marzouki has been a vocal opponent of Tunisia’s authoritarianism from exile in Paris. Marzouki has worked with Islamic opposition groups like Ennahda throughout his political career, despite his liberal human rights views.
Ennahda figures, including Rached Ghannouchi and Said Ferjani, have been imprisoned in President Saied’s crackdown. These personalities opposed Saied’s 2021 coup, which overthrew the government and instituted rule by decree.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have criticized Saied’s restrictions on political and personal freedoms. Despite these worries and the political prosecution, the EU and other western nations work closely with President Saied. Tunisia under Saied is essential to European attempts to stop North African migrants from reaching southern Europe. Tunisia pledged to stop migrants from reaching Europe in exchange for economic and security help in July 2023.
Marzouki’s imprisonment adds to Tunisia’s political turmoil, emphasizing the country’s struggles to retain democracy following the 2011 revolution.