TUNIS — On Sunday, January 18, 2026, Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of Tunisia's Ennahda Movement and former Speaker of Parliament, reached a somber milestone: 1,000 days in detention. From his cell in Mornaguia Prison, Ghannouchi released a statement describing his prolonged imprisonment as “a moment of political reckoning” for the North African nation, underscoring the state of democratic principles, equal citizenship, and the persistent link between political exclusion and authoritarian tendencies.
The message, published on the Ennahda Movement’s official Facebook page, was written in a reflective and religious tone, emphasizing patience, perseverance, and spiritual resilience rather than issuing explicit political demands or calls for mobilization. Ghannouchi reiterated Ennahda's longstanding commitment to political pluralism, stating that the movement has consistently opposed the marginalization of any political actors and advocated for the right of all parties to participate in public life, irrespective of ideological differences. He urged Tunisia's diverse political forces to remain united, adhere to nonviolent engagement, and work collectively to preserve the country's stability and social cohesion amid deepening divisions.
Ghannouchi's detention began on April 17, 2023, following a police raid on his home just before the breaking of the Ramadan fast. Since then, he has been held in Mornaguia Prison, where he has faced multiple trials and received several prison sentences in separate cases. These include a one-year term in May 2023 for incitement related to comments made during a funeral eulogy, a three-year sentence in February 2024 for alleged illicit foreign financing of Ennahda (along with a fine of approximately $1.1 million on the party), and a 14-year term in July 2025 for conspiracy against state security. Most recently, earlier this month, a Tunisian appeals court upheld a 22-year sentence against him in the high-profile Instalingo case.
The Instalingo case involves a digital media and communications company based in Kalaa Kebira, Sousse governorate, raided by authorities in September 2021 over allegations of money laundering, online defamation, and threats to state security. In February 2025, a lower court sentenced 41 defendants, including Ghannouchi, to prison terms ranging from five to 54 years on charges such as conspiring against state security, attempting to alter the nature of the state, inciting confrontation with weapons, provoking violence and looting, and committing hostile acts against the president. The appeals court confirmed the 22-year term for Ghannouchi (along with fines), while releasing one defendant. All involved have denied the charges, with Ennahda describing the proceedings as politically motivated and a “blatant assault” on judicial independence.
Tunisian authorities maintain that the prosecutions are strictly criminal in nature, related to national security threats, and free from political interference. President Kais Saied, who assumed extraordinary powers on July 25, 2021 — suspending parliament, ruling by decree, and later adopting a new constitution — has framed these measures as necessary to protect the state, restore order, and correct the course of the 2011 revolution that ended Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's dictatorship. Saied has repeatedly rejected accusations of authoritarianism, insisting that his actions safeguard Tunisia from chaos and corruption.
Critics, including opposition figures, human rights organizations like Amnesty International, and international observers, argue that the cases form part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent and consolidate power. Since 2021, dozens of politicians, journalists, lawyers, activists, and judges have been arrested or sentenced in what rights groups describe as politically motivated trials under vaguely worded anti-terrorism and security laws. Prominent cases include mass trials resulting in lengthy sentences for figures like former intelligence chief Kamel Guizani (35 years) and others accused of conspiracy. Ghannouchi himself has refused to appear in court in protest against what he and his supporters call the absence of an independent judiciary.
Ghannouchi's health has been a concern during his detention, with reports of inadequate medical care despite his advanced age. He previously joined hunger strikes in solidarity with other detained opposition members, including in late 2025 alongside Jawhar Ben Mbarek and Issam Chebbi. His family and Ennahda have denied rumors of his death or severe deterioration, affirming that he remains in good spirits as a “symbol of perseverance.”
The 1,000-day milestone has amplified calls for the release of political prisoners. In mid-January 2026, families of detainees formed the National Coordination for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, aiming to unite fragmented opposition groups and coordinate efforts for their freedom. Protests in Tunis have demanded an end to what demonstrators call an “open-air prison,” with chants highlighting the erosion of freedoms since Saied's power consolidation.
Ghannouchi, born in 1941, co-founded Ennahda (originally the Islamic Tendency Movement) in 1981, promoting a moderate Islamist vision compatible with democracy and pluralism. Exiled for decades under Ben Ali, he returned triumphantly after the 2011 revolution, guiding Ennahda to electoral successes while navigating coalitions and crises through compromise. His legacy as a proponent of “Muslim democracy” contrasts sharply with the current judicial crackdown.
As Tunisia approaches further political developments, Ghannouchi's message serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle over the country's democratic future. With cumulative sentences now exceeding several decades, his case symbolizes the broader tensions between authoritarian consolidation and calls for pluralism in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.
