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A Tunisian court docket on Sunday ordered a lawmaker to be detained over suspected tax fraud and cash laundering – the fourth parliamentarian to be taken into custody since President Kais Saied seized close to whole management of the nation in July.
Mehdi Ben Gharbia, a businessman and former minister, is a member of the Tahya Tounes occasion headed by former prime minister Youssef Chahed, who was dismissed by Saied.
Ben Gharbia’s lawyer couldn’t instantly be contacted for remark.
Saied’s intervention, and pledge to clamp down on corruption, following years of financial stagnation and political paralysis has been welcomed by many Tunisians.
However critics have labelled it a coup that has undermined democratic beneficial properties made for the reason that nation’s 2011 revolution, which ended autocratic rule and triggered the Arab spring.
READ | Tunisia president appoints new govt almost 3 months after energy seize
Saied, who has additionally suspended parliament and lifted lawmakers’ immunity from prosecution, final week unveiled a brand new authorities headed by Najla Bouden. Underneath guidelines he introduced final month, it would in the end reply to him moderately than to Bouden.
Saied has promised to uphold rights and freedoms however has given no indication of when he’ll relinquish his new powers.
Not one of the different three lawmakers presently detained in jail have been formally charged with an offence. Two have been accused of insulting police. Their lawyer described their detentions as political.
The third legislator is accused of corruption in reference to a phosphate contract.
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