![](https://radarafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Ben-Mbarek.jpeg)
The news of Mbarek’s sentencing was confirmed by his lawyer and sister.
Mbarek is a fierce critic of President Kais Saied. He was arrested in 2023 after he criticized the 2022 parliamentary election.
His lawyer criticized the sentencing saying Mbarek was not given a chance to defend himself.
A lawyer himself, Mbarek founded the ‘Citizens Against the Coup’ movement in 2021 following a power grab by President Saied.
Eected in October 2019 for a five-year mandate, Saied suspended parlaiment in July 2021, effectively giving himself absolute powers.
He defended his actions as necessary to fight corruption and to end a political impasse gripping the north African country then caught in the middle of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Saied has since grown more authoritarian, jailing activists, opposition figures, businessmen and judges.