Tunisia: Ennahdha Chief indicted with high treason

Rached Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia’s largest opposition Ennahdha party, has been indicted with high treason based on articles 68 and 72 of the North African country’s Constitution.

The Islamist leader was arrested last Monday following a lawsuit against him by the ministry of justice over a video in which he warned that the country will slide into civil war should the state attack any political party.

Several other people have been also arrested in connection with investigations. The defendants are accused of high treason, attempt to change the state, and call for uprising.

Several countries including the U.S have condemned Ghannouchi’s arrest. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel is fundamentally at odds with the principles Tunisians adopted in a constitution. He said the arrests “represent a troubling escalation by the Tunisian government against perceived opponents.”

The former Speaker of parliament is the highest profile Tunisian currently hauled in custody. Since early February, authorities in the North African country have arrested more than 20 political opponents and personalities.