Tunisia’s former speaker of parliament and leader of the Ennahda party, Rachid Ghannouchi faces interrogation over allegations that he referred to the country’s security forces as “tyrants”.
This follows an official complaint filed by a police union.
The prosecution referred Mr Ghannouchi to the country’s judicial centre, which was set up to fight organised crime and terrorism, in September after he was initially interrogated by the National Guard’s anti-terrorism unit in L’Aouina.
The investigating judge at the anti-terrorism unit on Thursday postponed the questioning to February 21, 2023, after a request filed by Mr Ghannouchi’s lawyers.
Mr Ghannouchi used the word “tyrant” in February during a eulogy to an Ennahda party leader in the Tunisian south.
During his speech, Mr Ghannouchi said he was “not afraid of the tyrant during his lifetime” — a statement that the complaining police union considered a reference to members of the Tunisian security establishment.
Members of militant groups that have attacked and killed members of Tunisia’s security forces, including the military and national guard, have been known to use the word “tyrant” to instigate their followers to attack Tunisian security.
Mr Ghannouchi has appeared before investigative judges on various charges, including money laundering.
The most recent was on November 28, when he was questioned in a case in which he has been accused of sending Tunisians to terrorism hotspots outside the country.