TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian authorities have placed Abdel Karim Harouni, the senior official in the opposition Ennahda Islamist Party, under house arrest, according to a statement from the country’s main opposition coalition on Saturday.
Harouni serves as the head of the Shura Council, the highest-ranking body in Ennahda. The party was the largest political party in the parliament that was closed by President Kais Saied in 2021.
The Salvation Front coalition described the decision against Harouni as “arbitrary” and noted its connection to the arrest of Ennahda leaders and the closure of its headquarters.
In addition to Harouni’s house arrest, the police have also detained Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda and a prominent critic of the president, along with several other party officials such as Noureddine Bhiri, Riadh Bettaib, Said Ferjani, Sahbi Atigue, and Mohamed Ben Salem.
The government has further imposed a ban on meetings held at all Ennahda offices and has closed down all party offices. Ennahda views these actions as an attempt to solidify a dictatorial regime.
Among the detained individuals, who have been accused by President Saied of being “terrorists, traitors, and criminals,” are prominent political figures. Their arrests have been widely condemned by opposition parties, who argue that they are politically motivated. Local and international rights groups have also joined in urging the authorities to release the detainees.
Reporting by Tarek Amara; editing by Jonathan Oatis
Credit: The Star : News Feed
