Tunisia’s jailed opposition figure Rached Ghannouchi, 84, has started a hunger strike, joining two other senior politicians in protesting what they call “unjust imprisonment,” lawyers reported on Saturday. The action represents the latest intensification of a standoff with President Kais Saied.
Most opposition leaders in the country remain behind bars, with critics accusing Saied of transforming Tunisia into an “open-air prison” while leveraging the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power.
Ghannouchi, the longtime head of the Ennahda party and a vocal critic of Saied, follows opposition politician Jawhar Ben Mbarek, who began his hunger strike last week, and Republican Party leader Issam Chebbi, who started his strike on Friday demanding freedom.
Ghannouchi has been detained since 2023 and received a cumulative prison sentence of 37 years across multiple cases, including allegations of illicit foreign financing and plotting against the state. He has refused to appear in court, arguing that the judiciary operates under Saied’s influence.
Lawyers and human rights organizations have raised concerns over Ben Mbarek’s health, which has reportedly deteriorated significantly during his hunger strike. He is declining medical treatment and is said to face serious risks. However, the Tunisian Prisons Authority denied any worsening of the prisoners’ conditions, claiming medical assessments show their health as “normal and stable.”
Earlier this year, Tunisian courts handed down sentences ranging from five to 66 years to opposition figures, including Ben Mbarek and Chebbi, on charges such as “conspiracy against state security.” Human rights advocates argue these prosecutions are politically motivated.
Lawyer Dalila Ben Mbarek stated that Jawhar told her he would soon leave prison “either free or dead,” while his father held President Saied personally responsible for any harm to his son, calling him a dictator.
