Exiled Former President Marzouki Slapped with 22-Year Sentence as Tunisia Widens Crackdown

Tunisia’s former President Moncef Marzouki

By iNewsAfrica Correspondent | June 21, 2025

TUNIS, TUNISIA — Tunisia’s former President Moncef Marzouki has been sentenced in absentia to 22 years in prison by a terrorism court in Tunis, marking the latest—and most severe—judicial blow in an escalating campaign against political dissent under President Kais Saied.

The ruling, handed down by the Criminal Chamber for Terrorism Cases, also implicated four others, including Marzouki’s ex-advisor Imed Daimi and former Bar Association head Abderrazak Kilani. All were sentenced to the same 22-year term and remain in exile or on the run.

The court accused the defendants of “forming a criminal alliance and undermining state security” during political activities held abroad—specifically, a controversial press conference in Paris.

Marzouki, who led Tunisia between 2011 and 2014, has lived in exile in France since President Saied seized extraordinary powers in 2021. Reacting swiftly to the ruling, Marzouki dismissed the judgment as “surreal” and “absurd,” calling it “a tragic sign of Tunisia’s democratic backslide.”

“They’re not sentencing criminals; they’re targeting patriots,” Marzouki said in a statement from Paris. “Tunisia is under siege by authoritarianism disguised as law.”

This marks the third in a series of convictions against the former leader. He was previously sentenced to 8 years in 2024 and 4 years prior to that, all in absentia.

A Pattern of Repression

The verdict coincided with a 15-year sentence handed down to Sahbi Atig, a senior figure in the Ennahda party, and follows recent arrests of other opposition heavyweights including Rached Ghannouchi and Abir Moussi. Some are facing cumulative sentences exceeding 60 years.

International human rights groups have raised alarm over what they call a “democratic collapse” in Tunisia. Since 2021, President Saied has dissolved parliament, suspended parts of the constitution, and taken direct control of the judiciary.

Analysts say these moves echo the authoritarian playbooks of the past and warn of growing intolerance toward political pluralism in what was once hailed as the Arab Spring’s lone success story.

Public Reaction

Tunisian civil society organizations remain muted under pressure, but diaspora groups are calling for international intervention. Protesters in Paris and Geneva have announced upcoming solidarity rallies.

What to Watch:

• Marzouki’s legal team is reportedly considering appeals to international courts.

• Diplomatic reactions from France and the EU are expected, with concerns over human rights and political persecution.

• Opposition movements may rally around exiled figures ahead of the 2026 general elections.

For more updates on this developing story, stay tuned to iNewsAfrica.