The court has sentenced Riyad Ben Faisal to 20 years and 18 months in prison

The competent Criminal Chamber for the consideration of financial corruption cases in the Tunisian Primary Court, today, 29 October 2026, sentenced the General Coordinator of the Polar Party and opposition political activist Riyad Ben Fadl to 20 years in prison. The court sentenced 18 other defendants to nine years in prison each, most of them on parole.

The charges relate to laundering and money laundering offences, suspicions of financial and administrative corruption, as well as violations of the banking and banking regulation of the financial sector and monetary transactions. These court rulings are contained in a file relating to the acquisition of confiscated property belonging to former regime codes after 2011.

Ben Fadel's pursuit dates back to his arrest at Tunisian Carthage Airport on 14 November 2023 after returning from abroad, before a prison sentence was issued for him on 24 November 2023. The defendant had previously been tried in a separate financial and debtor case which ended in the abolition of his prison sentence after his financial situation was reconciled.

The first hearings in this file were held before the Criminal Chamber on 9 February 2026, followed by separate hearings before the court decided to hold the case and grant preliminary sentencing.

This judgment is a preliminary injunction, which allows the defence and the public prosecutor to appeal against it to the Court of Appeal in accordance with the time limits and legal arrangements specified.