Tunisia jails opponents, critics of President Saied

Tunisia on Friday handed opponents of President Kais Saied lengthy jail terms after convicting them of plotting against state security.

Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek of the opposition National Salvation Front coalition, as well as lawyer Ridha Belhaj and activist Chaima Issa, were sentenced to 18 years behind bars, their lawyer said.

Businessman Kamel Eltaief received the harshest penalty of 66 years in prison.

They are among forty people, including high-profile politicians, businessmen and journalists, who who were being prosecuted on security and terrorism charges.

Critics say the charges lacked merit, and only served to consolidate Saied's power grab.

The president won re-election virtually unchallenged last year after the jailing or disqualification on flimsy grounds of his opponents.

Saied has ruled mostly by decree since dismissing parliament in 2022 and promulgating a revised constitution giving himself wideranging powers in 2023.