Tunisia sentenced several top politicians and officials including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to jail on Tuesday.

A court sentenced a total of 21 people to 12 to 35 years in prison in a mass trial. 

Ten are already in custody and 11 have fled the country.

The charges include participating in an organization linked to terrorist acts, inciting violence, attempting to overthrow the government, and recruiting and training individuals for terrorist purposes in Tunisia and abroad.

"All accusations were based on a false and contradictory testimony by a secret, anonymous witness who failed to present any evidence for his baseless and contradictory allegations, and who ultimately retracted most of them," Ghannouchi's defense lawyers said in a statement.

Which opposition figures has Tunisia jailed?

Ghannouchi, the leader of the Islamist Ennahda party and former speaker of the parliament, which was dissolved by President Kais Saied, was given a 14-year term. He has been in prison since 2023 and has received three sentences in separate cases adding up to 27 years.

The 84-year-old Islamist leader has refused to appear in court, saying the judicial system is heavily controlled by the government. 

Former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani, former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem and Mouadh Ghannouchi, son of Rached Ghannouchi were all sentenced to 35 years. They have already left the country.

Others to receive the sentence were Nadia Akacha, the former chief of staff to President Kais Saied, local radio station Mosaique FM said.

How has Saied cracked down on the opposition?

Saied took over six years ago and dissolved the elected parliament in 2021. He has since increasingly cracked down on opposing voices. 

In April this year, some politicians, business owners and lawyers were sentenced to up to 66 years imprisonment. 

Activists and opposition figures say that Tunisia's democracy, which was born during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, has been increasingly undermined, accusing Saied of using the judiciary and security forces to achieve his political goals.

Saied has argued these actions are necessary to end the corruption among the elite.

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah