Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Tunisian ex-PM Jebali arrested on suspicion of money laundering

Tunisian ex-PM Jebali arrested on suspicion of money laundering

Jebali says the arrest is politically motivated, as President Saied continues his crackdown on opponents.

Tunisian police have arrested former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, a former senior member of the Ennahdha party, on suspicion of money laundering, his lawyer told Reuters.

Police in the city of Sousse seized the phones of Jebali and his wife, and then took him to an unknown location on Thursday, according to a statement by his family on Facebook.

Jebali’s arrest raises opposition concerns over the human rights situation in Tunisia since President Kais Saied dissolved parliament last July, in a move his opponents called a coup.

The interior ministry declined to comment on Jebali’s arrest. The ministry called a press conference for Friday, without giving any details.

Jebali’s defence team have said they have been able to meet with him at the detention centre where he is being held.




“Jebali told us he will not answer the investigators’ questions and he entered into a hunger strike as the issue has a political motivation and nothing to do with money laundering,” Jebali’s lawyer Mokhtar Jemai said.

Ennahdha, which describes itself as a Muslim Democrat party, was previously the biggest party in Tunisia’s parliament.

At the time, Saied said the move to suspend parliament and seize executive powers was temporary and was needed to save Tunisia from what he saw as a corrupt, self-serving elite.

“The president is personally responsible for Jebali’s physical and psychological well-being,” Jebali’s family said in the Facebook post, and called on civil society and human rights organisations “to stand up against these repressive practices”.

Jebali was prime minister in 2012 and resigned in 2013 following a political crisis.

Earlier this year, police arrested Noureddine Bhiri, the vice president of Ennahdha, and detained him for more than two months before releasing him without any charges being brought.


Saied’s rule


Saied’s opponents say he is waging a campaign through the police and the judiciary to target his opponents, a charge he denies.

Since his seizure of executive powers he has set aside Tunisia’s 2014 constitution, and rules by decree.

His moves initially won a large amount of public support, after years of frustration with Tunisia’s political elite, but public anger is growing amid high inflation and unemployment, and declining public services.




Saied is now planning a referendum on July 25, where Tunisians will vote on a new constitution, a vote the opposition has said they will boycott. The Tunisian parliament will remain suspended until a vote is held for a replacement assembly on December 17, 2022.

On June 1, Saied dismissed 57 judges, accusing them of corruption and protecting “terrorists” – charges the Tunisian Judges’ Association (TJA) said were politically motivated. In response the TJA launched a national strike, which has now been extended for its third week.

In February, Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, which had acted as the main guarantor of judicial independence since Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, which overthrew former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Saied has said the decisions were needed to cleanse the judiciary of rampant corruption and that he does not aim to control the judiciary.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×