Summary: Tunisian Islamist party leader Rached Ghannouchi, head of the prominent Ennahdha Movement, declared on a Tunisian television show at the end of October that he was in favor of the legalization of the previously outlawed Ettahrir party.
"I defend the right of the Ettahrir party to have a legal presence, along with certain parties of the far-left, as long as they operate within the respect of the law and in a peaceful way, without inciting violence. We have to let the civil society decide what it wants," Ghannouchi said.
Ettahrir has been described as a Salafist party.
Ettahrir spokesman Ridha Belhadj has indicated that his party views "the sovereignty of the Islamic Umma" and considers that caliphate the appropriate regime form and the Shariah the only viable law for Tunisia.
The Ettahrir party has also been the imagined force behind a number of other disturbances, including a protest in front of the only synagogue in downtown Tunis in early February. Belhadj denied his party's involvement, insisting that Ettahrir respects all religions. Ettahrir also bore a vague, sous-entendu responsibility for the "Salafist" attacks against Nessma TV shortly before the October elections. In an Al Jazeera English article, Belhadj denied Ettahrir's involvement in these attacks, saying, ""Violence is not legitimate in politics. We were the first to reject violence in politics. The confusion is always created by foreign powers."
Ettahrir has made the Tunisian news at other points throughout the year. For instance, in May 2011, Ettahrir's spokesperson Ridha Belhadj described the death of Osama Ben Laden as the death of a symbol of Muslims' fight against Westerners. On the Shems FM radio station, Belhadj allegedly said, "History will remember that Ben Laden fought against the American imperialist project."
Ghannouchi ultimately underlined that the power to create or terminate parties does not lie in the executive branch. Ettahrir is currently before an administrative tribunal, and it is only there, Ghannouchi said, that its legalization could be decided.
Ghannouchi appeared on Hannibal TV's "Essaraha raha" program on October 29, 2011, with Samir El Wafi.
Original Language Text:
Rached Ghannouchi s’est prononcé en faveur de l’obtention du parti Ettahrir de son visa, lors de l’émission d’Essaraha raha du samedi 29 octobre 2011 de Samir El Wafi sur Hannibal TV.
«Je défends le droit du parti Ettahrir d’avoir une présence légale, ainsi que certain partis d’extrême-gauche, tant qu’il s opèrent dans le respect de la loi et de façon pacifique, sans incitation à la violence. On doit laisser la société civile décider de ce qu’elle veut», a déclaré le leader du parti Ennahdha.
M. Ghannouchi a souligné que ce n’est pas le rôle du pouvoir exécutif de distribuer les extraits de naissance ou de décès des partis.
Ettahrir a eu recours au tribunal administratif. La question de son visa, relève actuellement des prérogatives de la justice : c’est elle qui tranchera, conclut Rached Ghannouchi.
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