Former Tunisian President Marzouki Sentenced to 22 Years in Absentia for Undermining State Security

A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to 22 years in prison in absentia, intensifying concerns over political repression in the country. The charges, which include undermining state security, are the latest in a series of judicial actions taken against opposition figures under President Kais Saied’s administration.

Marzouki, who served as president from 2011 to 2014 following the Arab Spring uprising, now lives in exile in Paris. He has been an outspoken critic of President Saied, particularly since the latter dissolved Tunisia’s parliament in 2021 and assumed sweeping powers—moves widely condemned by international rights groups and opposition leaders as authoritarian.

This is the third prison sentence handed to Marzouki in absentia. He previously received sentences of four and eight years on similar charges, including inciting unrest and denouncing the current government. Responding to the latest ruling, Marzouki dismissed the court’s verdict as “absurd and politically motivated,” adding, “Democracy will return, and these judges will one day face justice.”

The verdict coincided with the sentencing of another prominent political figure, Sahbi Atig of the Ennahda party, who received 15 years for alleged money laundering. In recent months, dozens of political activists, former ministers, and party leaders have been prosecuted, some receiving sentences as long as 66 years.

President Saied maintains that these legal actions are aimed at eradicating corruption and restoring order. However, critics argue that the judiciary is being weaponized to silence dissent and dismantle Tunisia’s post-revolution democratic gains.

Once seen as a model of democratic transition in the Arab world, Tunisia now faces growing international scrutiny over its democratic backsliding and the erosion of civil liberties under the current regime.