Tunisian Court Sentences Former Anti-Graft Chief to 10 Years in Prison

A court in Tunisia has sentenced the former head of the country’s anti-corruption body to ten years in prison on charges of document forgery.

Chawki Tabib, who is also a lawyer and formerly led the Tunisian bar association, was convicted on Thursday for forging documents as well as possessing and using forged materials, according to his defence lawyer, Samir Dilou.

The 62-year-old was arrested in April of last year.

The charges stemmed from a complaint filed against him following a report by the National Anti-Corruption Authority, which Tabib had headed from 2016 to 2020. That report accused former prime minister Elyes Fakhfakh of conflict of interest during his time in office.

Fakhfakh subsequently dismissed Tabib, a move the anti-graft chief called unconstitutional and an abuse of power.

The anti-corruption body was later dissolved in 2021 after President Kais Saied enacted a sweeping consolidation of power, a move rights groups say has led to a major decline in freedoms in the country.

Tabib has represented several political opponents of President Saied in court. He also faces additional legal cases, including allegations of money laundering and other violations during his tenure as head of the anti-graft authority.