Ex-Tunisia minister's wife filing complaints with international courts over his 'kidnapping'

The lawyer and wife of detained former Tunisian Justice Minister Noureddine Bhiri said Monday that she will file complaints with international courts over what she called the "kidnapping" of her husband.

Bhiri went on a food and medication strike on Friday after being detained by plainclothes officers. He suffers from several chronic illnesses including diabetes and hypertension, and was rushed to hospital on Sunday.

Bhiri's wife and lawyer Saeeda Akrimi told Arabi 21 that the authorities had not been clear about his condition.

Akrimi said that she and her husband's defence team had already filed legal complaints with the Tunisian judiciary and the United Nations.

"The defence body will submit complaints to international organisations, bodies and regional and international courts," Akrimi said.

The former justice minister was arrested on suspicion of "terrorism", Tunisia's interior ministry said Monday.

Bhiri is also deputy president of the Islamist-inspired Ennahda Party, which was the largest party in the Tunisian parliament before President Kais Saied's takeover last summer.

Saied sacked ministers, suspended parliament and seized constitutional powers. Critics including activists, judges and politicians have been detained.