Ghannouchi’s defense team urges Tunisian authorities to allow access to jailed Ennahda leader over health issues

What the report says

Anadolu Agency Africa reports that the legal team for jailed Tunisian Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi has called on authorities to permit access to him, citing concerns about his health. The defense team’s appeal centers on the need to check on Ghannouchi’s condition while he remains in custody, according to the limited details available from the publisher.

The lawyers also warned that they would consider Tunisian authorities accountable for Ghannouchi’s wellbeing and for any deterioration or harm affecting him, Anadolu reported. The report does not provide further details on the specific medical issue, whether a visit has been denied, or how officials have responded to the request.

Ghannouchi is one of Tunisia’s best-known political figures and a senior leader of Ennahda, a major party that played a central role in the country’s post-2011 political transition. He also previously served as speaker of Tunisia’s parliament. His imprisonment and the legal cases involving him have become part of a wider political dispute in Tunisia, where opposition groups and rights advocates have raised concerns about the treatment of government critics.

Because the full Anadolu article was not available in the supplied material, key facts remain unconfirmed here, including the timing of the defense team’s statement, Ghannouchi’s current medical status, and any official explanation from Tunisian authorities. The development matters because access to detainees, especially elderly or high-profile political prisoners, is often closely watched by legal observers, human rights groups and political actors.