A Tunisian court has recently delivered a series of lengthy prison sentences, ranging from 13 to 66 years, to a group of politicians, businessmen, and lawyers in a mass trial that has drawn sharp criticism from various opposition factions. Many of these groups label the proceedings as a fabricated effort by President Kais Saied to solidify his grasp on power and silence dissenting voices.

The businessman Kamel Ltaif received the most severe sentence of 66 years during the hearings, which concluded on Saturday. In a notable ruling, opposition politician Khayam Turki was sentenced to 48 years in prison, according to statements made by an attorney representing the defendants. The court also handed down sentences of 18 years to several prominent opposition figures, including Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawahar Ben Mbarek, and Ridha Belhaj, all of whom have been detained since 2023.

The mass trial, which began in March, has seen forty individuals facing prosecution. Notably, more than twenty of these defendants have fled abroad since being charged, further complicating the legal landscape. This ongoing saga raises concerns about the state of justice and political freedom in Tunisia.

Since coming to power in 2019, Saied has undergone significant political transformation, securing a second five-year term in 2024 with a staggering 90.7% of the vote. However, many rights groups argue that his presidency has been marked by a troubling erosion of judicial independence. After dissolving the parliament in 2021, he began ruling by decree and dissolved the independent supreme judicial council, dismissing dozens of judges in 2022.

Commenting on the recent verdicts, Chaouachis son, Youssef, expressed his dismay: We are not surprised by these unjust and vengeful verdicts that seek to silence the voices of these opposition figures. This sentiment was echoed by the defense lawyer Ahmed Souab, who stated, I have never witnessed a trial like this. Its a farce, the rulings are ready, and what is happening is scandalous and shameful. He made these comments prior to the court's decision being announced.

Government authorities contend that the defendants, which also include former officials and the former head of intelligence, Kamel Guizani, plotted to destabilize the nation and overthrow President Saied. In a statement made in 2023, Saied referred to these politicians as traitors and terrorists, claiming that judges who might acquit them would be complicit in their alleged crimes.

The opposition leaders implicated in this case have accused Saied of orchestrating a coup in 2021, asserting that the prosecution is a manufactured effort to eliminate opposition and entrench a repressive one-man rule. They claim that they were in the process of launching a collaborative initiative to unite the fractured opposition against what they view as a significant democratic regression in Tunisiathe birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings.

The current political climate in Tunisia is particularly dire, with many leaders from various political parties imprisoned, including Abir Moussi, the head of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda. These prominent political figures are among Saieds fiercest opponents and their incarceration has raised alarms about the future of democracy in Tunisia.