The leader of Tunisia’s main opposition party is due to be questioned by the country’s anti-terrorism unit on Tuesday on suspicion of money laundering and terrorist financing through an association charity.
The accused, Rached Ghannouchi, was among a dozen top Ennahdha party officials whose bank accounts the North African country’s central bank froze earlier this month. Ennahdha vehemently disputes the accusations of money laundering and terrorism financing.
President Kais Saied suspended parliament last year and seized broad powers in a move that he said was necessary to "save the country" from a political and economic crisis. This prompted criticism from the opposition, which accuses him of a slide toward totalitarianism. Ennahdha has said that these accusations are aimed at distracting attention from a July 25 referendum planned by Saied to change the constitution to augment presidential powers and reduce the role of the parliament and prime minister. The president’s critics say he is trying to legitimize a "coup."
Opposition figure Nejib Chebbi said he feared for Ghannouchi’s arrest after the hearing, denouncing what he called a "harassment campaign" unleashed by the government against "leading political figures."
Saved blamed Ennahdha in part for Tunisia’s political crisis last year. Ennahdha, which dominated parliament before it was suspended, is among the president’s fiercest critics. Among those on the list are Mr. Ghannouchi, his son Mouadh, former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, and former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem, all of whom are prominent members of the Ennahdha party.
The statement did not mention the reasons for the order.
A court had already imposed a travel ban on Ghannouchi at the end of May as part of an investigation into obstruction of justice in connection with the killings of two opponents in 2013.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0