Tunisia Judge Orders Arrest of Ex-PM

By Staff, Agencies

An “anti-terrorism” judge in Tunisia has ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh, vice president of the main opposition Ennahdha party, days after the country held a legislative election marked by a very low turnout.

The judge’s decision is linked to a case in which other Ennahdha officials are accused of sending Tunisians to fight in Syria, according to Ines Harrath, a lawyer who has worked with a group of lawyers defending Larayedh.

Ennahdha, which had the largest number of lawmakers in the previous parliament, denounced the move as a political attack and called for Larayedh, who served as prime minister from 2013 to 2014, to be freed.

The party said its vice president was “deliberately targeted” in a “vain and flagrant attempt” by authorities and President Kais Saied to cover the “failure” of Saturday’s vote, which was the election’s first round of balloting.