Tunisia: Ennahdha calls for release of interim leader Mondher Ounissi; condemns arrest of president of Shura Council Abdelkarim Harouni

The Ennahdha Movement has called, in a statement published on its official page, for the release of its interim president, Mondher Ounissi, expressing full solidarity with him following a campaign of defamation aimed at harming the party and its leaders.

Ennahdha also condemned the arrest of the former minister and president of the Shura Council, Abdelkarim Harouni, explaining that his incarceration could further worsen his health condition.

Abdelkarim Harouni’s arrest had been announced by Ennahdha member and former advisor to Ghannouchi, Riadh Cheïbi, in a post on his Facebook page.

Harouni had been under house arrest since last Saturday, according to a decision by the Minister of Interior.

Mondher Ounissi was arrested Tuesday September 5 in connection with a leaked audio tape in which the political figure allegedly calls for the removal of some senior members of the Islamist movement.

In the leaked tape published by “Sayeb Salah” on Facebook Ounissi purportedly accused businessman Othman Jenayah, his sons Hussein & Omar Jenayah, and some senior members of the party of receiving foreign funding.

Jenayah sued Ounissi for the allegations that he has political ambitions but the party interim leader denied the authenticity of the leaked tape and argued that it was the work of artificial intelligence.

Ounissi rose in April 2023 as the caretaker of the Islamist movement in the absence of incumbent leader Rached Ghannouchi, currently imprisoned on several charges.

In addition to Ghannouchi, several senior party members are also in prison in connection to a case of a plot against the State.

“The Movement calls for the respect of the rights of individuals and political entities and warns against the negative repercussions of the policy adopted by the authorities,” the Ennahda said in its statement.