Six political figures held in the so -called “conspiracy against state security” began a hunger strike in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. This decision comes two days from the second hearing scheduled for April 11, 2025.
In a statement published on Tuesday, the accused’s defense collective explains that this movement aims to denounce a “legal process which does not respect the rules of a fair trial”. The defendants refuse in particular to participate in hearings organized remotely, a modality imposed by the court.
Among the strikers are Issam Chebbi, Abdelhamid Jlassi, Khayam Turki, Ridha Belhaj, Ghazi Chaouachi and Jawher Ben Mbarek – the latter being on a hunger strike since March 30.
Lawyers call political forces, civil society organizations and all “free consciences” to make their voices heard against what they denounce as an instrumentalized justice for political purposes.
At the end of March, the Tunis court of first instance announced that the hearings of the 5th Chamber of the anti -terrorist judicial center, scheduled for the month of April, would be held at a distance. This decision, already applied at the first hearing on March 4, had caused an uproar among the accused, their defense, but also several organizations and political parties.
In parallel, a demonstration was organized this Wednesday in front of the municipal theater of Tunis by the National Salvation Front. The demonstrators claim the immediate release of imprisoned persons, considered by their supporters as prisoners of opinion.
Open in February 2023, this case involved several public figures, including politicians, business leaders and former senior officials.
