2 top officials of Tunisia’s moderate Islamist party arrested while its leader languishes in jail

By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA
Associated Press

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisian officials have detained a former prime minister for questioning then freed him hours later. They also jailed two top officials in the moderate Islamist Ennahdha party whose leader has been imprisoned. The party denounced a “malevolent campaign” aimed at “hurting the Islamist movement and its leaders.” The former and current officials are among numerous opponents of President Kais Saied. Some have been caught up in Saied’s anti-corruption campaign, others suspected of plotting against the security of the state. Saied took all powers into his hands in July 2021, freezing parliament and announcing he would rule by decree.