Africa-Press. The defense committee for the leader of the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia and former parliament president, Rached Ghannouchi, announced that his lawyer and family members have been unable to visit or communicate with him for the eleventh consecutive day, amid conflicting information regarding his whereabouts and health status.
The committee stated in a statement that the authorities have not provided any official clarification regarding Ghannouchi’s location or health condition, demanding immediate disclosure of his status and allowing his defense team and family to visit him without delay.
They considered that the continued denial of visits, especially given Ghannouchi’s advanced age and health condition, constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights as a detainee, including communication with his lawyer and family and access to appropriate healthcare.
The committee added that these measures contradict Tunisian laws and international agreements ratified by Tunisia, holding the authorities fully responsible for Ghannouchi’s safety and any harm that may come to him.
On July 23, the defense committee warned of a deterioration in Ghannouchi’s health after information relayed by lawyers indicated he had suffered from fainting and severe fatigue in prison, noting the rejection of requests from his lawyer and family to visit him.
The Ennahda Movement, the largest political force in Tunisia, called for Ghannouchi’s family, his defense team, and a specialized medical committee to be allowed direct access to his condition, holding the Tunisian authorities responsible for his safety. No official clarification has been issued regarding the accusations in the statements from the defense committee and the movement.
The National Salvation Front expressed concern over what it termed “conflicting news and information” regarding Ghannouchi’s health status, with the head of the front, Ahmed Najib Chebbi, urging the authorities to issue an official and urgent clarification.
The front stated in a statement that it is following “with great concern” the circulating information regarding the health condition of Ghannouchi and Chebbi, noting that the absence of any official clarification, along with the continued denial of Ghannouchi’s family and defense committee from visiting him, has contributed to increased ambiguity and the spread of rumors.
The front held the Tunisian authorities responsible for the uncertainty surrounding the health conditions of some political detainees and called for an official statement to clarify their health status.
Ghannouchi was imprisoned on April 17, 2023, and has received prison sentences in several cases, while he and his defense team claim that the prosecutions are politically motivated.
Ghannouchi was urgently transferred to the hospital in April 2026 due to a severe deterioration in his health condition, according to a statement issued by the Ennahda Movement at that time, without an immediate comment from the Tunisian authorities on the incident.
