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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Tunis - Mongi Saidani

Tunisia Sentences Extremist to 10 Years in Jail for Threat to President

Tunisia's President Kais Saied casts his ballot at a polling station during parliamentary elections in Tunis, Tunisia December 17, 2022. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Reuters)

A Tunisian court sentenced a 40-year-old citizen to ten years in prison for threatening President Kais Saied in posts published in coordination with terrorist leaders.  

The man was charged with incitement to murder and insulting others through the public media and committing a “despicable act” against the head of state.  

The accused is known for following takfiri ideology and communicating with terrorist organizations and leaders inside and outside the country, revealed human rights and security sources. 

He previously published posts that included threats to “liquidate” the president and was imprisoned on Aug. 23, 2021. 

The Ministry of Interior announced on June 24 that it was investigating internal and external plots against Saied and the presidency.  

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission began preparing for the second round of the parliamentary elections.  

The Commission’s President, Farouk Bouasker, met with a delegation of the radio and television institutions and the Social Accountability Association.  

The talks focused on the need to increase youth participation given their low turnout of 11.2 percent in the first round of polls, the lowest since the 2011 vote. 

The meeting agreed on the plan, which will be adopted by the Commission to introduce the candidates and their electoral programs and urge voters to participate in the elections.  

Furthermore, Bouasker held a meeting with the heads and members of the electoral sub-bodies at home and abroad and regional coordinators for a preliminary evaluation of the first round of the parliamentary elections that were held on Dec. 17.  

A total of 262 candidates will run in the second round of legislative elections in February to compete for 131 parliamentary seats. Around seven million people are eligible to vote.  

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