Inter-Parliamentary Union seeks clarifications on Tunisian measures against Ghannouchi

TUNIS, Tunisia

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has asked for clarifications about the questioning of Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi by Tunisian authorities, a former parliamentarian said on Saturday.

Maher Madhioub said in a Facebook post that the IPU’s Human Rights Committee requested clarifications from Tunisian authorities about the freezing of Ghannouchi’s bank accounts and banning him from travel.

He said Ghannouchi had filed a complaint to the rights committee against the Tunisian measures, without providing further details.

There was no comment from the Tunisian authorities on the former lawmaker’s claim.

Ghannouchi is set to appear before a Tunisian judge on Tuesday for questioning on allegations of suspicious financial transactions within the Namaa Tounes charity.

The move came after Tunisian authorities froze the financial assets of Ghannouchi and nine other people, including his son and former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since last year when President Kais Saied ousted the government, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority in July 2021. He later dissolved the assembly after lawmakers held a session to revoke his measures.

While Saied insists that his measures were meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.

Tunisians will vote in a referendum on a new constitution on July 25. Saied has urged Tunisians to vote “yes” on the proposed charter.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar