Three leaders of Ennahdha movement were arrested on Monday evening, in addition to the movement’s president Rached Ghannouchi, Lawyer Monia Bouali told TAP on Tuesday.

They are Mohamed Goumani, Belgacem Hassen and Mohamed Cheniba, head of the party’s student faction.

The detainees refused to speak in the absence of their lawyers, she added, as defence lawyers including herself were prevented from contacting their clients.

Rached Ghannouchi was arrested on Monday evening, following a detention warrant issued against him by the prosecutor’s office of the Judicial Counter Terrorism Division.

He will remain under investigation in a case of «provocative statements,» an official of the Interior Ministry told TAP.

Ennahdha movement called in a statement Monday evening for the immediate release of its president. The party denounced a serious escalation and called to stop all proceedings against political opponents.

Ghannouchi had said this weekend at a meeting of the Salvation Front in Tunis that Tunisia would be faced with a «civil war” if political Islam was eliminated.

«Any attempt to eliminate one of the political components can only lead to civil war (…) It is inconceivable to imagine Tunisian society without Ennahdha, without political Islam and without the left…» he said, deeming the measures taken by President Saied on July 25, 2021 “a coup d’état against democracy.»

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse