Tunisia Sentences Former Justice Minister To 20 Years In Prison

A Tunisian court has sentenced former Justice Minister Noureddine Bhiri to 20 years in prison in a case linked to allegations of issuing fraudulent passports and citizenship documents to foreign nationals wanted in terrorism-related investigations, according to state media reports.

Bhiri, a senior member of the opposition Ennahda movement, has denied all accusations against him, while his legal team insists the charges are politically motivated. The ruling marks another major development in Tunisia’s widening crackdown on opposition figures, activists, and critics of President Kais Saied’s government.

The case dates back to 2012 during Bhiri’s tenure as justice minister, when authorities allege fake identity and travel documents were granted to individuals linked to terrorism investigations. Tunisian prosecutors claim the documents were used to facilitate illegal movement and conceal identities.

Bhiri is already serving prison time in a separate case connected to accusations of conspiring against state security. Earlier proceedings against opposition figures in Tunisia resulted in lengthy sentences ranging from more than a decade to over 60 years in prison, drawing criticism from human rights organizations and international observers.

The latest sentencing adds to growing concerns over political freedoms in Tunisia, a country once praised as the Arab Spring’s only democratic success story. Since President Kais Saied consolidated power in 2021 by dissolving parliament and expanding presidential authority, opposition parties, journalists, lawyers, and civil society groups have increasingly faced arrests, prosecutions, and restrictive measures.

Ennahda, the Islamist-inspired party that dominated Tunisian politics after the 2011 revolution, has become a primary target of the government’s anti-corruption and security campaigns. Supporters of the party argue that the prosecutions are aimed at silencing political dissent, while Tunisian authorities maintain that the judiciary is acting independently and enforcing the law against corruption and security threats.

The sentencing is expected to deepen tensions between the Tunisian government and opposition groups at a time when the country is also facing economic pressure, rising public frustration, and scrutiny from international human rights organizations over the state of democracy and judicial independence in the North African nation.