Africa-Press. A Tunisian court has sentenced former Minister of Justice, Nourredine Bhiri, to 20 years in prison in a case related to accusations of “facilitating the issuance of passports and nationality documents for foreigners,” according to official media reports.
The case revolves around allegations of “forging passports and falsifying nationality documents issued to foreigners wanted in terrorism-related cases” during Bhiri’s tenure as Minister of Justice in 2012. Bhiri and his defense team have denied the accusations.
Bhiri, who has been detained since April 19, 2025, was previously sentenced to 43 years in prison in a separate case concerning “conspiracy against state security.”
The official Tunisian news agency reported, citing an unnamed judicial source, that the specialized criminal chamber for terrorism cases at the primary court in Tunis issued prison sentences ranging from 11 to 30 years against Bhiri and others in what is known as the “forged passports and nationalities case.”
The source stated that Bhiri and former security official Fathi Al-Baladi were each sentenced to 20 years in prison. The court also issued in absentia sentences of 30 years with immediate enforcement against Muadh Al-Ghannouchi, the son of Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, along with three other defendants whose names were not disclosed and were described as “fugitives.”
Two other defendants whose names were not revealed received 11-year sentences, while all defendants were placed under administrative supervision for five years. The court also removed former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali from the list of defendants in the case, according to the same source.
Despite the possibility of appealing the sentences, the court ordered “immediate enforcement,” meaning that the prison sentences begin before the final ruling is issued.
Bhiri’s defense team rejected the charges against him, describing the case as “political and lacking any solid legal basis.”
