The family of the former Minister of Agriculture and former leader of the Islamist party Ennahdha Mohamed Ben Salem has announced that the latter has been transferred from hospital to the civil prison of Sfax “despite his critical state of health”, and while denouncing an “attack on the most basic human rights”.
In a press release, the family of Mohamed Ben Salem returned to his hearing at the Hedi Chaker hospital in Sfax, mentioning “exceptional, inhuman and cruel circumstances”and asserting that its “state of health had deteriorated during theexaminationwhich required him to be suspended several times to allow him to catch his breath”.
Late on Tuesday night, the investigating judge at the Gabès court of first instance issued a warrant of committal against Mohamed Ben Salem and “pledged to leave him in the hospital until he recovered”adds the same source, stating that a business card was given to the family.
Members of his family then went to Sfax that day, but they discovered that he was no longer in the hospital: “He was taken to an unknown destination without informing either his family or his lawyer and despite his critical state of health and his exposure to two crises during his transfer from Gabès to Tunis then to Sfax”we still read in the press release, where it is however indicated that after several contacts the family learned that he had been transferred to the prison.
The Ben Salem family then wondered about probable “pressures that the investigating judge would have suffered”according to the press release, while recalling that the 70-year-old former Nahdhaoui leader, “suffers from several chronic and serious diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure as well as heart problems. He has already suffered two strokes and it was recently decided that he should undergo further urgent examinations, after he showed some worrying symptoms that could be linked to colon cancer. as much as this illness has affected some members of his family in recent years and which forces him to carry out urgent medical examinations”, adds the same source again.
Mohamed Ben Salem was banned from traveling and according to his family this measure was not only taken “without any legal justification, but also prevented him from carrying out the necessary examinations which were scheduled for September… He is still prevented from doing them today by imprisoning him unjustly and ignoring his age and his health”.
While denouncing a violation of human rights, the family of the former minister nahdhaoui affirms to hold “ the president, the prosecutors, the investigating judges, the government and the Minister of Justice, fully responsible for the life of Mohammed Ben Salem”.
It should be noted that the spokesperson for the Court of First Instance of Gabès Mounir Arroum specified this evening on the Attessia channel that Mohamed Ben Salem was questioned at the hospital, in the presence of his lawyers and after the authorization of the attending physician. who claimed that his medical condition allowed this hearing, he explained.
In addition to Ben Salem accused of attempted illegal border crossing, illegal possession of currency and violation of the provisions of the 2014 supplementary finance law, five other individuals are involved in this case, including 3 who were the subject of a arrest warrant issued by the investigating judge, adds Mounir Arroum, citing: Ridha Ben Mohamed, customs executive, Zine Abdelkader, a citizen from Tataouine and Ahmed Laamari, a former Ennahdha deputy.
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