Tunisian opposition party Free Destourian Party (PDL) accused Samira Chaouachi, first deputy of Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, of “whitewashing terrorism” after it supported Seifeddine Makhlouf, head of Islamist Dignity Coalition, in discussing the issue of Seifeddine Ben Rayes at the parliament.
Earlier, the Ministry of Higher Education denied Rayes, a former spokesman of the banned terrorist organization Ansar al-Sharia, the right to register for a doctorate at the University of Kairouan.
Head of PDL, Abir Moussi, considered Rayes’ issue a personal matter that should not be discussed in the parliament. She said Makhlouf intentionally aimed to exonerate Rayes of his actions.
Moussi said that she filed a judicial complaint against both MP Makhlouf and Chaouachi for allowing this matter to be discussed at the parliament.
Moussi also indicated that Makhlouf tried to defend Rayes and portray him as a victim.
The head of PDL called on President Kais Saied and Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh to intervene and protect the civil state. Moussi said she would send an open letter to the premiership to act through the Ministry of the Relationship with the Constitutional Instances, Civil Society, and Human Rights regarding Coalition of Dignity.
In response, the parliament expressed its support for Chaouachi and affirmed in a statement that Moussi’s behavior aims to undermine the image of parliament and democracy.
Official at parliament, Nisreen al-Ammari, said that such an act undermines the image of the parliament.
Earlier, Seifeddine Makhlouf admitted that he was the lawyer of one of the suicide bombers who targeted the headquarters of the US embassy in Tunis. He defended his client by saying that his three-year sentence was not for carrying weapons, or the bombing attack, but rather because of a social media post.
Makhlouf added that he did not expect that his client would retaliate to the point of killing an innocent Tunisian security man when he detonated an explosive belt against a security patrol stationed near the main door of the US embassy.
Earlier in March, two militants on a motorbike blew themselves up outside the US embassy in Tunisia, killing one policeman and injuring others.
