Rached Ghannouchi, an opposition leader in Tunisia's prison, initiates a hunger strike in protest

Leader of the Ennahda party and well-known opposition figure in Tunisia, Rached Ghannouchi, has joined other anti-government activists on a hunger strike.

According to a group of opposition attorneys, the action is a protest against the opposition politicians' ongoing arrest.

Ghannouchi is 82 years old and has long been an outspoken opponent of President Kais Saied and his party. He was detained last year on suspicion of inciting violence against law enforcement and participating in schemes to undermine national security.

Ghannouchi encouraged Tunisians to preserve democratic values, highlighting the significance of freedom and judicial independence in a statement issued by his legal team. He is still dedicated to promoting a democratic Tunisia that welcomes all its residents, even amid his hunger strike.

President Saied's actions have drawn harsh criticism from the opposition, who see his intention to abolish the elected parliament in 2021 as a coup. Saied, on the other hand, argues that after years of political unrest, his actions were vital to bring peace back to Tunisia.

Six other opposition leaders went on an indefinite hunger strike last week to protest being held in jail without a chance to face trial. Additionally, they have demanded a halt to the judicial persecution of journalists, civil society members, and political activists.

Jawher Ben Mbarak, Khayam Turki, Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chabbi, Abdelhamid Jalasi, and Rida Belhaj are among the leaders who have been imprisoned; they were all suspected of crimes against state security.

Through his constitutional amendments, President Saied is accused by the opposition of stifling press freedom and weakening democratic institutions. On the other hand, Saied insists that his measures are required to keep Tunisia stable.