Former Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdelssalem has been sentenced to five years in prison in Absentia for a controversial Facebook post.
The verdict, which stems from a case brought against him by the state litigation officer on behalf of the Tunisian Post Office, accuses Abdelssalem of undermining the institution via his social media activities.
The post, deemed highly contentious by authorities, allegedly contained content that was deemed to be a direct attack on national security and an incitement to violence.
The now-convicted leader of the Islamist Ennahda movement shared a post on Facebook alleging that “savings accounts were made available to the state due to the lack of liquidity and the need to pay salaries.”
This purported revelation was said to have occurred without informing Tunisian citizens, leading to a prosecution for harming the reputation of others on social media.
This judgement comes in the wake of a series of arrests targeting leaders of the Islamist Ennahda movement. Figures like former Tunisian head of government Hamadi Jebali and the party’s vice president, Mondher Ounissi, have also faced legal action in recent weeks.
The wave of arrests in Tunisia has garnered significant attention both domestically and internationally. Some believe these actions are linked to their alleged involvement in a case known as the “plot against state security.”
Among those facing prosecution are prominent political figures of the National Salvation Front, with the Ennahda movement being its principal component. This has further fueled the ongoing political tensions in Tunisia, as the nation grapples with the aftermath of the Arab Spring and seeks to establish a stable democratic governance system.
