Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights advocate, Tawakkol Karman, has condemned the successive judicial rulings issued against Rached Ghannouchi, describing them as a continuation of Tunisia’s anti-democratic trajectory and a further assault on the democratic gains achieved through the Tunisian revolution.

In a statement published on her official Facebook page, Karman said the rulings form part of a broader campaign aimed at curtailing freedoms, suppressing political pluralism, and excluding opposition voices from the public sphere.

She described Ghannouchi as one of the Arab and Islamic world’s most influential reformist thinkers and a longstanding advocate of freedom, democracy, political pluralism, and the peaceful transfer of power. Throughout his public life, she noted, he has defended these principles despite enduring imprisonment, exile, and political persecution.

Karman further criticized the use of judicial institutions as instruments of political repression, arguing that the prosecution and imprisonment of opponents cannot resolve Tunisia’s mounting challenges. Instead, she said, such measures erode the foundations of freedom, pluralism, and the rule of law established by the Tunisian people.

She concluded by affirming that the aspirations of Tunisians for freedom, dignity, and democracy remain stronger than efforts to silence or marginalize them, invoking the renowned verse: “The night must fade, and the chains must break.”