Tunisian media reported that Algerian authorities arrested Tunisian media mogul and former presidential candidate Nabil Karoui on Sunday after he entered Algeria illegally and secretly. Karoui, owner of Nessma TV and leader of the Heart of Tunisia party, the second-largest party in the Tunisian parliament, was detained along with his brother Ghazi Karoui, a member of parliament, after President Kais Saied suspended parliamentary activities last month.
After spending over six months in prison in Tunisia for money laundering and tax evasion charges, judicial authorities released Karoui on June 15. His case is still under investigation. Karoui has maintained his innocence, claiming that his political opponents are behind his imprisonment.
He has not made a public appearance since President Kais Saied dismissed the government and suspended parliamentary activities last month in a surprise move described by his Islamist opponents as a coup. Tunisian television and Radio Mosaique FM reported that Karoui entered the Algerian city of Tebessa secretly and is scheduled to appear before an Algerian court on Monday. No comment has yet been obtained from Algerian officials.
In 2019, Karoui defeated most candidates to reach the runoff in the presidential elections but ultimately lost by a significant margin to President Kais Saied.
