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Tunisian Military Court Hands Down Heavy Sentences to Former PM Chahed and Officials In Absentia

A Tunisian military court has delivered lengthy prison sentences to several high-profile opposition figures and former officials, including ex-Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and former presidential chief of staff Nadia Akacha, in a mass trial concerning charges of "conspiring against the internal security of the state." Details of the preliminary verdicts were reported by Middle East Eye and Tunisian news outlet Le Maghreb, citing proceedings at the Permanent Military Court of Tunis. The sentences, many delivered in absentia, mark a significant escalation in the ongoing crackdown on dissent under President Kais Saied.

According to Le Maghreb, which published details of the preliminary judgments, former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, who currently resides abroad, received a 14-year sentence. Nadia Akacha, once a close advisor to President Saied before falling out with him and leaving the country, was sentenced to 12 years. Both were tried in absentia. The trial involved approximately 20 individuals, highlighting the wide net cast by the state security conspiracy allegations.

Other notable figures convicted include prominent businessman and political figure Kamel Letaief, who received an eight-year sentence. Former security official Lazhar Longo and political advisor Adel Daâdaâ were each handed six-year terms. Mofdi Mseddi, a former advisor and spokesperson, also received a six-year sentence. Rafik Yahya was sentenced to five years, while Mustafa Khedher received a three-year term. These sentences stem from accusations the group plotted against state security, though specific details of the alleged conspiracy have not been widely public.

The verdicts are the latest development in a political climate increasingly defined by President Kais Saied's consolidation of power since July 2021. On that date, Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed sweeping executive powers, measures his critics have labeled a coup. Since then, authorities have targeted a broad range of opponents, including politicians, judges, lawyers, journalists, and activists, often using vaguely defined charges like "conspiracy" or undermining state security.

The use of military courts to try civilians has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations both domestically and internationally. Critics argue that these courts lack civilian judicial systems' independence and due process guarantees and are increasingly being utilized to silence political opposition. The trial involving Chahed, Akacha, and others exemplifies this trend, prosecuting former high-ranking civilian officials within the military justice system.

The heavy sentences, particularly those delivered in absentia against figures like Chahed and Akacha, underscore the deepening political divisions in Tunisia and the Saied administration's determination to pursue perceived adversaries, even those outside the country. While these are preliminary verdicts and potentially subject to appeal, they send a chilling message to opponents of the current regime and further dim hopes for a swift return to democratic norms in the North African nation that sparked the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.


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