Rached Ghannouchi’s message to his supporters from prison: a mobilization without resonance

In an attempt to break his isolation, the leader of Tunisia’s Ennahdha movement, Rached Ghannouchi, sent a message from prison to members of the movement, urging them to close ranks.

Titled “A Letter to the Youth of the Movement” and published on his official Facebook page, Ghannouchi’s message was seen as an attempt to revive a narrative of victimhood that many observers consider to have lost its impact.

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According to analysts, this letter — the second he has issued from prison — appears to be an effort to find a pathway toward his release after attempts to exert pressure through street mobilization reached a dead end.

On April 17, 2023, Tunisian authorities arrested Rached Ghannouchi, leader of Ennahdha, on charges including “conspiracy against state security, deliberate attempt to alter the nature of the state, inciting citizens to attack one another with weapons, and provoking disorder, killings, and looting.”

Observers believe that this latest message follows the same pattern, seeking to reignite political momentum after avenues of public mobilization proved ineffective.

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A signal to his supporters

Tunisian political activist Khaled Balthaher said that Ghannouchi’s continued messages serve as a coded signal to his supporters to initiate unrest in the country.

He argued that Ghannouchi is attempting to rally the street by appealing to the emotions of his followers, noting that Ennahdha is aware that its popularity has waned and is therefore relying on this strategy to activate segments of its base, although its chances of success are minimal.

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In his view, the letter represents a further escalation that could open new fronts of tension between the authorities and the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated movement, which seeks to portray itself as a victim.

So far, the total prison sentences handed down to Ghannouchi across the various cases in which he has been convicted amount to 45 years: 14 years in the case known as “Conspiracy against State Security 2,” 22 years in the intelligence-related case known as “Instalingo,” 5 years in the foreign funding case referred to as “lobbying,” 1 year for glorifying terrorism, and 3 years in another foreign funding case.

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