Ali Larayedh, former prime minister of Tunisia and senior member of the Islamist opposition party Ennahda, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for allegedly helping Tunisians travel to Syria to join jihadist groups.
Larayedh, who led the government from 2013 to 2014 during a politically turbulent time after Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, has been in detention since 2022. In court on Thursday, he denied the charges, describing them as unjust and politically motivated. He can appeal both the conviction and the sentence.
Ennahda called the case part of a crackdown on dissent following President Kais Saied’s takeover of broad powers in 2021, when he dissolved parliament and began ruling by decree.
The trial also involved seven other defendants, including former officials from Tunisia’s Interior Ministry, with sentences ranging from three to 24 years, according to the TAP state news agency.
After the 2011 revolution, hundreds of Tunisians traveled to Syria, Iraq, and Libya to join or fight alongside extremist groups such as Islamic State. Secular political rivals have accused Ennahda of facilitating these movements during its time in power, allegations the party has consistently denied.
