Tunisia arrests prominent opposition leader to enforce jail sentence

A prominent Tunisian human rights activist has been arrested in order to enforce a 20-year prison sentence, following a mass sentencing of government critics in a controversial trial.

Chaima Issa, an activist who took part in the 2011 protests that ousted longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was taken by police on Saturday afternoon at a protest in the capital, lawyers said.

On Friday, dozens of opposition figures were sentenced on appeal to prison terms of up to 45 years on charges of "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group".

The 37 defendants, most of whom were imprisoned after their arrest in the spring of 2023, were accused of, among other things, meeting with foreign diplomats.

In the initial trial in April, the defendants were handed heavy prison sentences of up to 66 years after just three hearings and without closing arguments.

Right groups have condemned the trial as "politically motivated", while Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, denounced "violations of the law raising serious concerns about political motivations".

According to local media, the defendants received sentences ranging from 10 to 45 years on appeal.

The harshest was handed down to businessman Kamel Ltaief, who was sentenced to 45 years, reduced from 66 years in the first instance, while opposition politician Khayam Turki was sentenced to 35 years, down from 48 years.

Prominent opposition figures Jawhar Ben Mbarek, Ghazi Chaouachi, Ridha Belhaj and Issam Chebbi saw their sentences increased from 18 to 20 years.

Ben Mbarek has been on a hunger strike for a month to protest against his detention, which he has described as "arbitrary" and "unjust".

Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, co-founder with Ben Mbarek of the National Salvation Front, one of the main opposition coalitions, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, reduced from 18 years in the first instance.

Lawyer Ayachi Hammami was sentenced to five years, down from eight. Tried while free, he now faces an imminent risk of arrest, as does Ahmed Nejib Chebbi.

Other detainees saw their sentences reduced on appeal, including former minister and Ennahda leader Noureddine Bhiri, whose jail term was reduced from 43 to 20 years.

For defendants on provisional release or abroad, the court handed down sentences of up to 35 years, while acquitting two: Noureddine Boutar, the director of the private radio station Mosaique FM, and Lazhar Akremi, a lawyer and former secretary of state.

Feminist activist Bochra Belhaj Hmida and French intellectual Bernard-Henri Levy, tried in absentia, had their 33-year sentences upheld on appeal.