Tunisia Restricts Access to Jailed Opposition Leader Ghannouchi After Prison Collapse.

Tunisian authorities have prevented the family and legal team of jailed opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi from seeing him for 11 days after he reportedly collapsed in prison and was hospitalized.

Ghannouchi's son, Moadh Ghannouchi, said the family has received no official information about the 85-year-old politician's health or whereabouts since he was taken to hospital following his collapse on July 17.

According to Moadh, repeated requests by relatives and lawyers to visit Ghannouchi, including an application submitted to the public prosecutor, have been denied. He described the situation as an "enforced disappearance," expressing concern over his father's wellbeing.

The Ennahda party leader, who suffers from high blood pressure and breathing difficulties, was reportedly being held in a prison without air conditioning during an intense heatwave. His family alleges that the harsh prison conditions contributed to his deteriorating health.

Conflicting reports have circulated on social media about which hospital Ghannouchi is being treated in and the severity of his condition, but officials have not confirmed any details. His defense lawyers have demanded immediate information about his health, while the Ennahda party says it has also been left in the dark.

Ghannouchi has been in custody since April 2023 and is serving a life sentence that his supporters describe as politically motivated. The Tunisian government has repeatedly denied accusations that it targets political opponents through the judicial system.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, and Tunisia's opposition coalition have urged the authorities to disclose Ghannouchi's condition and ensure the safety of prisoners during the ongoing heatwave. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has previously called for his release, describing his detention as arbitrary.

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