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Saïda Akremi, the wife of the former Tunisian Minister of Justice and vice-president of Ennahda, Noureddine Bhiri, arrested on December 31 and hospitalized since, denounced on the antenna of France 24 the conditions of his arrest that ‘she calls it “kidnapping”. The lawyer by profession makes President Kaïs Saïed “responsible” for the situation in which her husband finds himself.
“My husband was kidnapped, he is still illegally kidnapped and I consider him missing since I have no information on his fate”, accuses Saïda Akremi, wife of the former minister Tunisia of Justice Noureddine Bhiri, guest on Tuesday January 4 of the Interview on the Arabic-speaking antenna of France 24.
The 63-year-old politician, vice-chairman of the Islamist Ennahda party, had been arrested on the morning of December 31 by men in civilian clothes in front of his home, and driven to an unknown location.
Tunisian Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine justified the arrest of Noureddine Bhiri on Monday, by “suspicions of terrorism in the file”, ensuring that the latter is hospitalized because he refuses all food and drugs, and that he is “well treated”.
According to a delegation from the Torture Prevention Authority (INPT, independent authority) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who visited him, Noureddine Bhiri has been hospitalized since Sunday “under close surveillance in cardiology “in Bizerte (north), because he is suffering from several chronic diseases, diabetes and hypertension, in particular.
Six days after his arrest, he still refuses “all food and medicine,” Abderrazk Kilani, a member of his defense committee, said on Wednesday, adding that the former minister was now suffering from “kidney problems”.
“My husband’s state of health is fragile, but since his kidnapping, he refuses to eat and take his many medicines,” says Saïda Akremi, while the Ennahda party announced on Monday that Noureddine Bhiri was on strike. hunger. He is between life and death, and I hold President Kaïs Saïed and Minister of the Interior Taoufik Charfeddine responsible for his life, as well as all those who took the decision to remove him and applied it “.
The Minister of the Interior told the press that he had offered to visit Noureddine Bhiri’s wife, accompanied by her attending physician, which he said refused. A version disputed by Saïda Akremi, lawyer by profession. “It’s a lie, this minister has never contacted me,” she insists.
Complaint for “kidnapping”
Saïda Akremi calls for “strict” application of the law and explains that she has lodged a complaint against Taoufik Charfeddine. For his part, Samir Dilou, lawyer and deputy for Ennahda, told the press on Monday that the arrest of Noureddine Bhiri was “a political affair and an instrumentalisation of justice”, announcing a complaint for “kidnapping” against the president and the Minister of the Interior.
“Are we still in a state of law or are we now governed by the law of the jungle? Asks Saïda Akremi. I myself was beaten and my phone was confiscated. Is that how the law applies? Is that how a placement under house arrest is notified? “
The Minister of the Interior said for his part to have respected Tunisian legislation. He also assured to have “personally ensured that [Noureddine Bhiri] be treated well. ”“ We have done our safe, legal and human duty, ”he said.
Ennahda has been at the heart of a standoff with President Kaïs Saïed since his coup on July 25 and his decision to suspend Parliament, which this party had controlled for ten years.
The head of state’s decisions have been described as a “coup” by Ennahda and several opponents, while national and international NGOs have expressed concern an authoritarian drift.
With AFP
.