Among the 12 people targeted by Tunisian justice, are the former head of government Youssef Chahed, and Nadia Akacha, former director of the presidential office
Tunisian justice on Tuesday issued international arrest warrants targeting 12 people involved in the two cases of “creation of a terrorist conspiracy” and “plot against state security”.
The spokesperson for the Judicial Center for the fight against terrorism, and first deputy of the public prosecutor, Hanene Gaddes, declared to the press that “The first investigating judge at the Judicial Center for the Fight against terrorism has issued warrants of “bring internationals targeting 12 people in a state of flight outside the national territory”, reports the public press agency Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP).
Hanene Gueddes declined the identity of the people targeted by the decision of the first investigating judge.
According to the spokesperson, these are Youssef Chahed (former head of government 2016-2020), Nadia Akacha (former director of the presidential office), Mouadh Kheriji (son of the president of the Ennahdha movement, Rachid Ghannouchi) as well as Kamel Guizani and Mustapha Khedher (former political leaders).
Also included in the list, according to the same source, are Maher Zid, Lotfi Zitoun (former minister and leader of Ennahda) as well as Abdelkader Farhat, Adel Daadaa, Chehrazade Akacha, Ali Helioui and Rafik Yahya.
In her statements, the spokesperson for the Judicial Center for the fight against terrorism did not communicate further details on the two aforementioned cases.
It should be noted that other high-profile figures, including party leaders, former ministers, journalists, magistrates, businessmen, lawyers, political activists, and trade unionists, have been detained for months in the context of these same two cases.
Since February 11, 2023, the Tunisian authorities have made arrests, opened investigations, or initiated prosecutions against several personalities from the political, media, and business world.
Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed accused some of the defendants of being involved in a plot against state security, also holding them responsible for the shortage of basic products and the surge in prices. Accusations, however, were rejected by the opposition.
The Tunisian leader has repeatedly insisted on the independence of the judiciary, but the opposition accuses him of using justice to track down those who reject the exceptional measures he declared on July 25, 2021.
