Al Joumhouri has expressed its solidarity with the leader of the opposition National Salvation Front, Jawhar ben Mbarek, who has decided to go on hunger strike in protest at the continued detention of him and his comrades in the “conspiracy against state security” case. The party holds the President of the Republic and the Minister of Justice responsible for the consequences of the hunger strike on the health of the detainees in a case that has been going on for more than seven months, and demands their immediate release and the final closure of the case as no evidence has been found to secure a conviction. In February 2023, a number of politicians and businessmen were arrested on charges of “conspiring against the state”. Two were released on June 13: Chaima Aissa (Salvation Front) and Lazhar Akermi, a former minister and former member of Nidaa Tounès. The latter two are subject to a court ban on travel and public appearances. However, Khayem Turki, politician and businessman, Abdelhamid Jelassi, former leader in Ennahdha, Ridha Belhaj, former member of Nidaa Tounès, Ghazi Chaouachi, former secretary general of the Attayar party, Jawhar Ben Mbarek (Salvation Front) and Issam Chebbi, secretary general of Al Joumhouri, all arrested in connection with the same case, were not released. The investigating judge at the judicial anti-terrorism division has decided to extend the pre-trial detention in this case for a further four months.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse