France says Tunisian political dissidents did not receive fair trial

France criticised on Wednesday the lengthy sentences handed down by a Tunisian court against opposition leaders and businessmen on conspiracy charges at the weekend, saying that the conditions for a fair trial were not met, Reuters has reported.

The comments by France, the first country to speak out on the trial, came amid growing criticism of the government of President Kais Saied over its crackdown on dissent in Tunisia.

Rights groups said that the mass conviction of dissidents is a disturbing indication of the authorities’ willingness to go ahead with its crackdown on peaceful dissent. According to Tunisia’s opposition, the trial was fabricated and aimed at silencing critical voices and consolidating authoritarian rule.

“We learned with concern of the harsh sentences… against several individuals accused of conspiring against state security, including French nationals,” said the French Foreign Ministry. “We regret the failure to respect fair trial conditions.” Journalists, diplomats and civil society were barred from attending the trial.

The trial highlights Saied’s full control over the judiciary since he dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. He also dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council and sacked dozens of judges in 2022.

Forty people were prosecuted in the trial, which started in March. More than 20 have fled abroad since being charged.

Lawyers said that the maximum sentence was 66 years for businessman Kamel Ltaif, while opposition politician Khyam Turki received a 48-year sentence. The court also sentenced prominent opposition figures including Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawahar Ben Mbrak and Ridha Belhaj to 18 years in prison. They have been in custody since being detained in 2023.

Saied said in 2023 that the politicians were “traitors and terrorists” and that judges who would acquit them were their accomplices.

The opposition leaders involved in the case rejected the charges and said that they were preparing an initiative aimed at uniting the fragmented opposition to face the democratic setback in the cradle of the Arab Spring uprisings.

READ: Tunisia judge orders detention of prominent lawyer and Saied critic, Souab