Tunisia freezes bank accounts of top Ennahda figures

Judge orders freeze on financial assets of ex-speaker of the African country's dissolved parliament Rached Ghannouchi, his son, ex-PM Hamadi Jebali, ex-FM Rafik Abdessalem and several other people.

Ex-Tunisia PM Hamadi Jebali (R) and Ennahda party leader Rached El Ghannouchi are among several people whose bank assets were frozen.
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Ex-Tunisia PM Hamadi Jebali (R) and Ennahda party leader Rached El Ghannouchi are among several people whose bank assets were frozen.

A Tunisian court has frozen the bank accounts of several key opponents to President Kais Saied, including Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party.

The Tunisian Financial Analysis Committee issued a statement on Tuesday informing banks they must "immediately implement the ruling from the investigating judge of the anti-terrorism pole".

The statement carried a list including Ghannouchi, his son Mouadh, former prime minister Hamadi Jebali and former foreign minister Rafik Abdessalem, all of whom are or were key Ennahda figures.

The statement did not give details on why the order had been issued.

A court had already imposed a travel ban on Ghannouchi late last month over a probe into high-profile political assassinations that rocked the country in 2013.

Jabali is under investigation for alleged money laundering in relation to foreign funds transferred to a Tunisian charity. He was arrested for several days last month before being released.

He is set to appear before an anti-terror court on July 20.

READ MORE: Leader of Tunisian constitution committee criticises president's draft

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Expanding powers

Tunisia's long-running political crisis took a dramatic turn last July when Saied sacked the government, froze the Ennahda-dominated parliament headed by Ghannouchi, and seized far-reaching powers.

Last week he unveiled a draft constitution set for referendum on July 25, the anniversary of his power grab.

Opponents accuse him of waging political vendettas and dragging the country back to dictatorship, over a decade since its pro-democracy revolt sparked the Arab Spring uprisings.

READ MORE: Tunisian union fears proposed constitution could threaten democracy

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