Tunisia – Investigation into Ennahda Movement leaders on charges of terrorism

Location: Tunis – Tunisia

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:03:09

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Tunisia

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 09/20/2022

Storyline:

The head of Ennahda Movement and former Speaker of Tunisian Parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, is under investigation today before the anti-terror police. He is being investigated on his involvement in the case of deporting Tunisian young men to hotbeds of tension, especially Syria, Iraq and Libya.

This morning, it was announced that former Prime Minister and leader in Ennahda, Ali Laarayedh, had been detained for the same case, after about 14 hours of interrogation yesterday.

Tunisians keep waiting for this issue that has been affecting national security for years to be resolved, and for its circumstances to unveil. Lawyer Samir Delou told A24 that the case of deporting Tunisians abroad is being used for political agenda.

Emad Al-Khamiri, leader in Ennahda movement told A24 that the purpose of this case at the present time is to silence the opposition through intimidation and drawing public opinion away from national, social priorities, especially since it came after the dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Shotlist:

– Soundbite (Samir Delou – Tunisian lawyer):

“It is obvious that a case is being built, as there are talks about folders, every page of which contain statements and correspondences of the Republican Security Union. This should be made public to the media and people. We do not know whether or not deportation happened. It is true that some Tunisian young men went to Syria but deportation must be proven through facts in order to hold those who committed the act accountable and punish them according to Tunisian law. There are families who lost their sons, and this case is being used for political agenda.”

– Soundbite (Emad Al-Khamiri – Leader in Ennahda movement):

“The main purpose of this case is to harass opposition leaders and silence the opposition through intimidation and drawing public opinion away from national, social priorities.

This decision is unjust, in terms of undermining the independence of the judiciary. We should not forget the arrest of Ali Laarayedh and Rached Ghannouchi after the dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council and decree to appoint members of the Supreme Judicial Council.”

– Soundbite (Ayman Al-Zamali – Political analyst):

“These complicated political issues may take a long time to resolve, and their circumstances may take a long time to unveil. They might represent another building block for revealing what happened in the country during the previous decade, especially economic and social stumbling affected by security and political crises, as well as faltering democratic transition throughout the previous decade.”