Tunisia questions Ennahda leader on money laundering allegations

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – Tunisian authorities on Tuesday questioned Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi on accusations of money-laundering.

Ghannouchi appeared before an anti-terrorism judge to answer questions regarding suspicious financial transactions within the “Namaa Tounes” charity, Tunisia’s state news agency reported.

Dozens of Ennahda supporters rallied outside the courthouse in the capital Tunis to show support to Ghannouchi, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter.

“Ghannouchi has no relation whatsoever to this charity,” senior Ennahda leader Noureddine Bhairi told reporters.

Ennahda movement has earlier accused Tunisian authorities of seeking to “implicate” Ghannouchi in the case.

On July 6, Tunisian authorities froze the financial assets of Ghannouchi and nine other people, including his son and former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since President Kais Saied ousted the government, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority in July 2021. He later dissolved the assembly after lawmakers held a session to revoke his measures. Ennahda was the largest bloc in the dissolved Parliament.

While Saied insists that his measures were meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar