The National Salvation Front will launch protest and solidarity movements in support of politician Jawher Ben Mbarak, who has been arrested in the case of “conspiracy against state security”, the Front’s president Nejib Chebbi announced.
A rally will be held in Tunis next week, he said at a press conference on Friday.
Chebbi said Ben Mbarak had begun a hunger strike, without specifying how long it would last, in protest at what he described as “judicial procrastination” in the case. Chebbi expressed concern that this decision could endanger his health.
Jawher Ben Mbarak began a hunger strike at midnight on Monday, vowing that “he will not end his strike until this injustice is rectified and he is released along with other detainees in this political case,” according to a statement issued by the Defence lawyers Committee.
During the conference, Chebbi called on all forces in the country, including politicians, journalists and civil society activists, to pull together and put pressure on the authorities to address this “injustice”.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Samir Dilou said the defence had tried unsuccessfully to persuade Ben Mbarak to reconsider his decision and not to refuse medical supervision.
“Diplomatic relations cannot be labelled a crime. Politicians make connections both domestically and internationally,” he said, alluding to the charges against some of the defendants in the case, in particular conspiracy with foreign entities.
The “conspiracy against state security” case, which began in February 2023, involves politicians, businessmen and former government officials. The defendants include Rached Ghannouchi, president of the Ennahdha movement; Ridha Belhadj and Jawher Ben Mbarak, leaders of the National Salvation Front; Issam Chebbi, secretary-general of the Al Joumhouri party; and political figures such as Lazhar Akremi, Noureddine Bhiri, Khayam Turki and Abdelhamid Jelassi.
Businessman Kamel Letaief and director general of Mosaïque Fm Radio Noureddine Boutar are also implicated.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse