Tunisia Opposition Threatens Suit Over 'Abduction' of Leader

The defence team of the Ennahdha Movement have said they are filing an "abduction" complaint after the disappearance of the party's vice-president, Noureddine Bhiri, on December 31, 2021. They said that President Kais Saied and Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine are parties in the lawsuit.

A member of the defence team said: "Noureddine Bhiri is currently in enforced disappearance, a most serious crime punishable by law. A complaint has been filed with the Public Prosecutor at the Court of First Instance of Tunis and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) against any person responsible for this crime."

Ennahdha leader and member of the defence lawyers team Samir Dilou said "the arrest must be made under a court decision with explicit motives, which is not the case with Bhiri."

Diloul also said more procedures will be initiated with all international and regional judicial and human rights bodies concerned with human rights violations, particularly arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.

Interior Minister Taoufik however insisted in a press conference that the arrest decisions were taken in accordance with the law and following ongoing investigations related to the illegal granting of passports, nationality certificates and identity cards.In a statement, Ennahdha strongly denounces this, saying it sets dangerous precedent which is a warning sign that the country is entering a phase of authoritarianism and elimination of political opponents outside the law.