Rached Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia’s Muslim Brotherhood, refused to attend a remote hearing before the “Anti-Terrorism” division of the Court of First Instance, where he and others face charges of forming a terrorist cell and conspiring against state security in the case known in the media as “Conspiracy 2”.

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The criminal division specialized in terrorism cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance decided to postpone the verdict announcement, set a new date for the hearing, and rejected requests to release the defendants.

Among the accused are former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed (a Brotherhood affiliate) and former Chief of Staff to the President, Nadia Akacha.

On May 6, the trial sessions began, involving over 20 individuals accused of “conspiring against state security”, including Ghannouchi and key figures in the Ennahda Party, the political arm of Tunisia’s Muslim Brotherhood.

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Five defendants attended the session, while Ghannouchi, Fathi El-Beldi (former senior police officer in border control, sentenced to 26 years in the terrorism travel case), and Kamel El-Badoui (Ghannouchi‘s former security advisor and retired military officer), refused to appear. Two defendants currently free on bail were also present.

The session was attended by Habib Ellouz, a senior Ennahda figure (detained in multiple cases), and Abdelkarim Aouidi, former head of the aircraft protection unit (also sentenced to 26 years in the same case).

Also present was Samir El-Hanachi, a retired military officer and former advisor in the office of ex-Islamist Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, considered one of the most dangerous members of Ennahda’s “secret apparatus”.

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Fugitives in the case include: Moaz, Rached Ghannouchi’s son; his son-in-law and former foreign minister Rafik Abdessalem; former presidential chief of staff Nadia Akacha; journalist Sheherazade Akacha; former national security chief Kamel El-Kaïzani; ex-Prime Minister Youssef Chahed; and Brotherhood-affiliated figures Lotfi Zitoun, Maher Zaid, Mostafa Khedher, and Adel Daadaa.

It is worth noting that in June 2023, the investigative office of the Anti-Terrorism Judicial Pole (a specialized court) launched a second investigation into a criminal conspiracy aimed at undermining state security.

The criminal alliance is reportedly headed by former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, former National Security Director General Kamel El-Kaïzani, and former intelligence chief, along with Rached Ghannouchi and his son Moaz.

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