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Tunisian MP jailed after criticising president begins hunger strike

Tunisian MP jailed after criticising president begins hunger strike
MP Yassine Ayari began his hunger strike at the Mornaguia prison in protest of oppression faced by the military and his upcoming trial, his party has said.
2 min read
09 September, 2021
Parliamentarian Yassine Ayari has gone on a hunger strike whilst in jail, his party has said [Getty]

A MPsuspended and jailedÌýfor condemning Ìýhas gone on hunger strike to protest his detention, his party has said.

Jailed MP leads theÌýHope and Action Movement. The party on Tuesday saying that he began the hunger strike at his cell in theÌýMornaguiaÌýprison on Tuesday morning.

Ayari was detained on 30 July after writing an sharing social media posts condemning the actions of President on 25 JulyÌý- the day Saied froze Tunisia's parliament and suspended the prime minister in what has widely been acknowledged to be a coup.

A military court ruled he must serve jail time of two months, which are almost up.

Ayari's detention is "a major breach of freedom of expression", the party statement read.

Ayari's request for a conditional release was rejected without justification, although he met the necessary requirements for it, the party said.

Follow up procedures in complaints issued against Ayari were expedited, whilstÌýcomplaintsÌýfiled by him wereÌýnot advanced despite there being strong evidence, the movement said, which "impliesÌýa clear intention to prolong his imprisonment".

The MP suffers from ill health, the party said, and hisÌýmedical file was given to the prison administration. Incarceration is causing his health to deteriorate, it added.

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The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitoron Thursday forÌýAyari's release.

Youssef Salem, a legal researcher for the group,ÌýsaidÌý"practises committed by theÌýMornaguia prison represent a clear violation of the inmate's rights", including the rights toÌý"to communicate with relatives, aÌýjudge and the prison director".Ìý

TheÌýmonitor called for theÌýTunisian authorities "to stop using the law to silence opposingÌývoices".

The Hope and Action Movement have organised a protest in Tunis against Ayari'sÌýupcoming military trial.

Ayari has long been a critic of the TunisianÌýauthorities.

In November 2014, heÌýwas sentenced to three years of jail on charges ofÌýdefaming the army, provoking outrage from human rights groups.

He was also sentenced to three months in prison inÌýJune 2018 after criticising the army, according toÌýHuman Rights Watch.

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