Tunisia's anti-terror unit summons ex-speaker for questioning

TUNIS, Tunisia

Rachid Ghannouchi, the former speaker of Tunisia's dissolved parliament, has been summoned for questioning by the country's anti-terrorism unit, an official confirmed on Friday.

The official from the defunct Speaker Office told Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the media that Ghannouchi has been summoned on Friday evening for questioning by the anti-terrorism unit.

The Tunisian authorities made no comment on the move.

In an interview on Tuesday, Ghannouchi revealed that Tunisia's anti-terrorism unit had summoned more than 30 lawmakers.

Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the suspended parliament on Wednesday, just hours after parliamentarians held a plenary session to reverse his actions since July 25, 2021.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25 when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup.”

Tunisia has been seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition among Arab countries which witnessed popular revolutions toppling ruling regimes, including Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar