Hundreds of influential figures from across the Arab and Muslim world demanded the release on Friday of Rached Ghannouchi and other political detainees in Tunisia following 100 days since his arrest.
According to the signatories of the open letter to Tunisian authorities, Ghannouchis arrest is part of a widespread crackdown on dissent that has intensified since February 2023, as more than a dozen opposition figures were arrested including judges, politicians, activists, and businessmen.
Their sole crime is defying attempts to roll back Tunisias democratic gains, reestablish dictatorship, and halt the progress opposition leaders are making towards building a broad and diverse alliance to defend democracy, the letter stated.
The signatories include leaders, academics, and influential figures across the Muslim world like Abdel Rahman bin Farhat, a member of the Algerian parliament; Abderrahim Sheikhi, the former president of the Movement for Unity and Revolution in Morocco; and Hussein Ghazi al-Samarrai from the Iraqi Fiqh Council.
Ghannouchi, the leader of Tunisias main opposition party...