Tunisia, June 21: A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki and two of his close associates to 22 years in prison in absentia on terrorism-related charges, judicial sources said on Friday.
The specialized criminal chamber for terrorism cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance handed down the ruling against Marzouki, his former advisor Imed Daimi, and former head of the Bar Association Abderrazak Kilani. All three are currently abroad and considered fugitives by Tunisian authorities.
Two other defendants, also in hiding, received identical sentences. The convictions are subject to immediate execution despite the absence of the accused.
According to judicial officials, the defendants had been referred to the court by the Tunis Court of Appeal’s specialized terrorism chamber. While the exact nature of the charges has not been publicly disclosed, authorities confirmed that the case pertains to terrorism-related offenses.
The verdict marks a significant escalation in Tunisia’s use of counterterrorism laws against high-profile political figures in exile, drawing concern from international human rights groups about the state of political freedoms and judicial independence in the country.
