Tunisia opposition figures jailed up to 45 years: state media
President Kais Saied has described calls for the release of his critics as "blatant interference".
A Tunisian appeals court on Friday sentenced 40 opposition leaders, business and media figures to jail terms ranging from five to 45 years on charges of conspiring against state security, the state news agency TAP said.
Local radio station Mosaique FM, citing an official source, added that the terms ranged from five to 45 years. "The Court of Appeal in Tunis issued a final ruling early Friday against the defendants in what is known as the conspiracy against the state case," said
Nearly 40 defendants, many of whom are critics of President Kais Saied, were sentenced to up to 66 years in April for "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group".
Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday condemned a European Parliament resolution on human rights calling for the release of his critics as "blatant interference".
Calls for release
The EU Parliament resolution, voted by an overwhelming majority the day before, called for the release of Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer and popular critic of Saied, who was freed from prison Thursday but remained under judicial supervision.
The news comes a day after jailed Tunisian lawyer and writer Sonia Dahmani was freed from prison on Thursday, November 27, after being granted a conditional release.
Dahmani, 60, was arrested by masked men in May 2024 and faced charges in several cases over her comments on radio and television denouncing racism in Tunisia.