It is undeniable that the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Tunisia reveals the decline of the international organization, given that the Ennahda Movement is one of its branches, as its leader is one of the key figures of the terrorist group.
According to the Party Decree in Tunisia, Article 19 prohibits receiving direct or indirect cash or in-kind funds from foreign sources. Additionally, according to Article 28 of the same decree, the activities of a political party can be suspended in the first stage for a period not exceeding 30 days, and in a subsequent stage, the party receiving foreign funding can be dissolved upon request from the Prime Minister.
Article 7 of the Counterterrorism Law in Tunisia states that if a party or association is proven to be involved in activities supporting terrorism, it may be deprived of engaging in political activities for a maximum period of five years or be dissolved.
Regarding the details of the ruling against Ghannouchi, the spokesperson for the Tunisian Court of Appeals, Habib Tarhouni, explained that the Criminal Division of the Appeals Court had previously upheld a primary ruling issued at the beginning of February last year, sentencing Ghannouchi and Boushlaka to 3 years in prison with immediate effect in a case related to obtaining foreign financial support. He mentioned that the Public Prosecutor had appealed the primary judgments related to the case last February, and that the Criminal Division of the Tunis Court of First Instance had convicted the Ennahda Movement in person through its legal representative and obliged it to pay a fine equivalent to the value of the foreign funding received, amounting to 1 million 170 thousand 478 dollars and 35 cents, according to Radio Mosaique Tunisienne.
In another case revealing the ugly face of the banned group, the specialized terrorism investigation chamber at the Tunis Court of Appeals decided to refer 12 suspects, including leaders of the Ennahda Movement, to trial for their involvement in terrorism cases, as stated by spokesperson Habib Tarhouni to Tunisia Afrique Press.
Tarhouni stated that on Thursday, the mentioned investigation chamber decided to refer Monther Alwanissi, Deputy Head of Ennahda Movement (detained), Rafik Abdulsalam (son-in-law of Ennahda Movement's leader), Shahrazad Akkasha, Ahmed Qa'loul, Tarek Boubhri, Radha Idris, Muath Al-Kharji, Maher Zaid, Mohamed Fathi Al-Ayadi, and Mohamed Al-Samiti (all in a state of escape) to the specialized criminal chamber at the Court of First Instance in Tunis for terrorism cases. Additionally, two other suspects (not identified) were referred while on bail in what is known as "Conspiracy Against State Security 2."
Crimes of Ennahda Leaders
The Tunisian judiciary had previously issued a verdict in February sentencing the leader of the movement, Rached Ghannouchi, and his son-in-law to three years in prison on charges of receiving foreign funding during the 2019 elections after months of judicial investigations. Ghannouchi has been in prison since mid-April 2023 on charges of conspiring against internal state security following his statement threatening civil war and chaos if the movement was removed from power. Since then, authorities have ordered since April last year to close Ennahda's headquarters in all cities nationwide and banned meetings there after Ghannouchi's arrest on charges of conspiring against state security.
Another verdict was issued against him on charges related to money laundering and assaulting state security in a case known in media as "Anstalengo" company specialized
in digital media production. Alongside Ghannouchi, prominent Ennahda leaders are imprisoned facing multiple suspicions, including "conspiring against state security" and "involvement in networks facilitating travel to conflict zones," including Vice Presidents Nour El-Din Al-Bahiri and Ali Al-Arid.
The proof of Ennahda Movement receiving foreign funding through its leadership during elections and its link to terrorism, as well as the involvement of its prominent leaders in crimes against state security, has fueled renewed calls in Tunisia for dissolving the movement that had been ruling the country since 2011 for a dark decade.
Several leaders of Tunisian political parties have called for enforcing the law against Ennahda and dissolving it. In this regard, Mohsen al-Nabti, spokesperson for the People's Movement Party, affirmed that the "Lobbying" file involving the Ennahda Movement is one of the most critical accountability files. He considered that "the ruling issued regarding it is an indicator of progress in other issues like the movement's secret apparatus, involvement in travel networks to conflict zones and terrorism, money laundering, as well as political assassinations."
