Rached Ghannouchi, Tunisia’s Islamist Leader, Begins Prison Hunger Strike
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Arabi 21, Rached Ghannouchi, head of Tunisia’s Ennahda Movement who is currently imprisoned, sent a message following the start of his hunger strike. He stated that this protest is in support of jouhar Ben Mubarak and noted: “Jouhar is not merely an Islamist fighter but a dedicated activist for freedom and dignity who grew up in a family committed to struggle and sacrifice.”
Ghannouchi highlighted the high value Tunisians place on freedom and added: “The current conflicts are a legacy of clashes from the 1970s and 1980s. It is time for these divisions to end.”
The jailed Ennahda leader warned that tunisia is truly at risk. He addressed Islamic circles both inside and outside the country, saying that Tunisia’s Islamists have moved beyond ideological disputes while Islam stresses unity.
He continued: “We have no issues with free individuals; rather, the core problem in Tunisia, across the Arab world, and globally remains the lack of freedom and absence of democracy.”
On thursday, Jouhar Ben Mubarak’s defense team-he is a constitutional law professor and political activist-called urgently for help after his health sharply declined due to seven days on hunger strike. They stressed he was nearing death.
Detained as February 2023, Jouhar Ben Mubarak stands as one of Tunisia’s most prominent political figures and academics as well as a staunch critic of developments following July 25, 2021.
