“The investigating judge at the Tunis Court of First Instance issued early on Thursday a committal order for president of Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi and defendants in the same case, Youssef Nouri and Ahmed Mechrgui,” said lawyer Samir Dilou.

Out of total of twelve defendants, five are appearing at liberty, namely Belkacem Hassan, Mohamed Goumani, Abdallah Skhiri, Mohamed Cheniba and Mouaffak Kaabi. Four others are still on the run, namely Maher Zid, Rafik Abdessalem, Mohamed Samti and Mokdad Mejri, Samir Dilou further told TAP.

“Detention decisions were all ready,” he said. The defendants are being prosecuted on the basis of Articles 72 and 68 of the Penal Code.

Ennahdha condemned in a statement Thursday what it called “an unfair and purely political decision” and said “Rached Ghannouchi’s remarks do not include any call for or incitement and do not affect civilian security.”

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse