Rached Ghannouchi and Ennahdha members receive heavy prison sentences in Tunisia

On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the court sentenced Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, along with party members Youssef Nouri and Ahmed Mechergui, to twenty years in prison each. In the same case, Ennahdha members Mohamed Goumani and Belgacem Hassan received three-year prison sentences. This case led to Rached Ghannouchi's arrest on the night of April 17, 2023, following his statements about the risk of civil war.

This incident is part of a series of legal proceedings targeting several opposition figures and is linked to accusations of "conspiracy against state security." Ghannouchi's arrest occurred during Ramadan, two days after a discussion circle organized by the National Salvation Front. During this meeting, the Ennahdha leader had warned against the authoritarian drift of the government and the consequences of excluding political forces, particularly the left and Islamists, which he deemed dangerous for civil peace.

The prosecution cited a statement in which he mentioned the risk of "civil war" if political Islam were to be eliminated from the national scene. Authorities considered these remarks to be an attack on the internal security of the state, under Article 72 of the Tunisian Penal Code.