Tunisia’s Former president Moncef Marzouki has been sentenced to four years in prison after he criticised President Kais Saied and called for protests.

According to reports, the court found against Marzouki on charges of assaulting the external security of the state.

Marzouki, has described Saied’s seizure of powers in July as a coup, called for protests against him and urged that a major international meeting of French-speaking countries be moved from Tunisia.

Saied seized nearly all powers four months ago, suspending the parliament and dismissing the government in a move his critics called a coup, before installing a new prime minister and announcing he could rule by decree.

He has rejected accusations coup. He said he acted to end protracted political paralysis and that a referendum will be held in 2022 on a new constitution followed by parliamentary elections.