On Friday, the Tunisian judiciary issued a 24-year prison sentence against the former prime minister and leader of the opposition Ennahdha Movement, Ali Al-Arayedh, in what is known as the “deportation” case, after he had initially been sentenced to 34 years in prison. The Islamic Party faced severe criticism on charges of facilitating the travel of hundreds of Tunisians to Syria, Iraq, and Libya to join the "Islamic State" organization and fight with it, which the party has repeatedly and categorically denied.
Published on: 02/27/2026 - 10:43 Last updated: 02/27/2026 - 13:04
The Tunis Court of Appeal ruled on Friday to reduce the prison sentence issued against former Prime Minister Ali Al-Arayedh on charges related to facilitating the travel of Tunisians to Syria “to commit terrorist crimes” during the past decade, from 34 to 24 years.
Last May, the Court of First Instance issued sentences in the same case ranging from 18 to 36 years.
Al-Arayedh, a prominent leader in the opposition Ennahda party, served as prime minister during 2013 and 2014 during a turbulent period following the 2011 Tunisia uprising.
After the uprising, hundreds of Tunisians traveled to Syria, Iraq, and Libya to join and fight with ISIS.
At the time, the Islamic Ennahdha Party faced severe criticism on charges of facilitating their travel during its rule, which the party repeatedly and categorically denied.
Al-Arrayedh, who has been detained since 2022, said during his trial session on Thursday, "I am innocent. I am being subjected to injustice, abuse, and ungratefulness."
The case includes eight defendants, including former officials in the Ministry of Interior.
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The official news agency quoted a judicial official as saying that sentences were issued against eight people and ranged from three to 24 years.
On the other hand, the Ennahdha movement last year denied accusations related to terrorism, describing the case as politically motivated and part of a campaign to suppress the opposition following President Kais Saied’s control of broad powers in 2021, when he dissolved Parliament and began ruling by decree.
Heavy charges
In total, eight people are being prosecuted, including former police officials and the spokesman for the jihadist organization "Ansar al-Sharia", which was classified as a "terrorist" in Tunisia and was dissolved in August 2013 by Al-Arrayedh (70 years old), the prime minister at the time.
Among the charges brought against the prisoners were “forming a terrorist alliance,” “putting competencies under the authority of a terrorist alliance,” and “deliberately joining a terrorist alliance within the territory of the Republic.”
Al-Arrayed was arrested at the end of 2022, and this trial began on November 22, 2024.
After the 2011 revolution, Tunisia witnessed the growth of the activity of jihadist organizations, which reached its peak with a series of bloody attacks in 2015.
5,500 Tunisians joined the ranks of jihadist organizations in the years following the 2011 revolution, according to the United Nations at the time.
Many Tunisians fought alongside jihadist groups, including ISIS, in Iraq, Syria or Libya between 2011 and 2016.
France 24/Reuters/AFP
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