The leader of the Tunisian Islamist party “Ennahdha”, Rached Ghannouchi, was arrested on Monday evening at his home, for a case relating to “inciting statements”. A search was conducted at his home.
The arrest of the leader of the Islamist party, a controversial figure in the Tunisian political landscape, was made at the initiative of the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior.
“A security brigade carried out a search of the home of the head of Ennahda and seized everything that could concern the investigation,” said a source, quoted by the official Tunisian news agency TAP.
Arrested on the order of the public prosecutor, under the judicial center for the fight against terrorism, Ghannouchi will remain at the disposal of the investigation in a case relating to inciting statements, she continues.
In a press release, the Ennahdha movement announced that a security brigade carried out, on Monday, a raid on the home of the movement’s president, Rached Ghannouchi, who was subsequently taken to “an unknown destination”.
The movement condemned the arrest of its leader, demanding his immediate release and the cessation of proceedings against political activists and opponents.
Mr. Ghannouchi, who headed the Parliament dissolved by President Saied, had already been heard on many occasions by the judicial authorities, for several cases including that of the dispatch of jihadists to Syria and Iraq.
Tunisia has recently experienced a series of arrests of politicians, opposition figures, civil society activists, media officials and trade unionists, sparking a wave of indignation from several NGOs in defense of human rights.