Tunisia’s Islamist party leader is sentenced to 15 months in prison for supporting terrorism

By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA
Associated Press

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The leader of Tunisia’s moderate Islamist party has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for supporting terrorism and inciting hatred in the North African country. The Court of Appeal in the capital, Tunis, pronounced the sentence against the Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi late Monday. Ghannouchi is a vocal opponent of Tunisia’s increasingly authoritarian president Kais Saied. Saied’s security forces have cracked down on his opponents and critics, enabling him to rule largely by decree since July 2021 after suspending parliament.