Tunisia – New investigation against 13 members of the Ennahdha movement for breaking into a security center

The Tunisian judiciary has informed the head of the National Association of Tunisian Lawyers that an investigation has been opened against 13 lawyers members of Brotherhood from the Defense of Noureddine Bhiri, a leader in the Ennahdha movement.

A source from the Tunisian Court said that the Prosecutor General charged the Brotherhood members with storming a security center in the area of Menzel Jemil in the northern province of Bizerte on January 2nd.

On January 2, Tunisian Muslim Brotherhood elements, accompanied by 13 lawyers, stormed a security center to forcibly remove Bhiri, who had been under house arrest in the same area days before.

Bhiri is the right-wing arm of Brotherhood leader Rached Ghannouchi and served as justice minister between 2012 and 2013, accused of concealing files condemning Ennahdha in cases of terrorism and political assassinations.

“The reasons behind the Brotherhood elements of the Tunisian state, its laws and its peaceful civilian character, and the verbal attack on security by Brotherhood leaders, supporters, and lawyers”.

On December 31st, Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine issued a decree placing Bhiri and former Interior Ministry official Fathi al-Baladi under house arrest on suspicion of terrorism.

Fathi al-Baladi was the head of the Brotherhood’s secret service within the Interior Ministry and the head of the Black Room that the Defense Committee spoke about. The two men, Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, were assassinated years ago.

Al-Baladi, a security official and former advisor to Brotherhood leader Ali Larayedh, will not be the last in a series of arrests and house arrests.

The Emergency Act grants the Minister of the Interior the right to take the necessary measures, from house arrest and otherwise, to maintain public order and security.

On March 8, the Tunisian Interior Ministry announced that Ennahdha’s vice president, Noureddine Bhiri, had been released from house arrest and brought to justice.