Ennahdha denounces political trial and calls for Rached Ghannouchi's release after twenty-year sentence

The Ennahdha movement has strongly reacted to the judgment issued by the criminal chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance in the "El Moussamara" case, condemning it as an "unjust and political procedure" and calling for the release of its president, Rached Ghannouchi. In a statement published on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, the Islamist party denounced the verdicts as "heavy and iniquitous" after Rached Ghannouchi, Youssef Nouri, and Ahmed Mechergui were each sentenced to twenty years in prison. Other figures from the movement, including Mohamed Goumani and Belgacem Hassan, received three-year prison sentences. The case dates back to April 2023, following a discussion circle organized during Ramadan by the National Salvation Front. During this meeting, Rached Ghannouchi had warned against the risks of political exclusion and mentioned a possible scenario of "civil war" if political Islam were eliminated from the national scene. These statements led to his arrest on the night of April 17, 2023, and subsequent prosecution for "conspiracy against state security" under Article 72 of the Penal Code. In its statement, Ennahdha asserts that the judicial procedure is based on a "falsified video," claiming that its leader's remarks were taken out of context. The movement also denounced irregularities in the arrest, citing an apprehension without prior summons and deprivation of the right to legal assistance. The party further criticized the closure of its central headquarters, cons