US says the arrest of Tunisian opposition leader Ghannouchi is a troubling escalation

Security forces' vehicles are seen outside the home of the head of Tunisia's Islamist movement Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi in Tunis on April 17, 2023. (AFP)

Parliament speaker Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, looks on during an interview with AFP at his office in Tunis on March 31, 2022. (AFP)

• Ennahda fears the move will pave the way for banning the party and comes a day after police detained Ennahda leader Ghannouchi, the most prominent critic of President Kais Saied

TUNIS: The arrest of Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, the closure of the Ennahda main opposition party headquarters and banning of meetings held by opposition groups, represent a troubling escalation by the Tunisian government, the US State Department said on Wednesday.
Tunisia banned meetings at all offices of Ennahda and police closed the headquarters of the Salvation Front main opposition coalition.
Ennahda fears the move will pave the way for banning the party and comes a day after police detained Ennahda leader Ghannouchi, the most prominent critic of President Kais Saied.