A court in Tunisia has sentenced 56-year-old day labourer Saber Chouchane to death after finding him guilty of social media posts that insulted President Kais Saied and threatened state security. The verdict, delivered by the Nabeul criminal court, cited charges including “insulting the president,” “spreading false information online,” and “attempting to overthrow the state.” The ruling has ignited national and international outrage as Tunisia teeters on the edge of free speech suppression.
Chouchane, described by his lawyer Oussama Bouthalja and human rights observers as a socially vulnerable man with limited education, had been detained since January 2024. He allegedly ran Facebook posts from an account called “Kaïs le misérable” (“Kais the miserable”), where he criticised President Saied, caricatured him, and called for protests. Though the posts drew little engagement and many were copied from other pages, judges ruled they constituted a violation under Decree 54—Tunisia’s 2022 cybercrime law enacted to criminalise spreading “false news,” insults towards officials, and threats to public order.
While the death penalty remains legal in Tunisia, this is the first time the state has issued such a sentence for opinion-based content posted online. No executions have taken place in Tunisia since 1991, though courts have continued to pass death sentences in other cases. Chouchane’s legal team has filed an appeal. Many Tunisians and rights groups fear the ruling may mark a chilling new era of repression.
The backlash was swift. Activists condemned the move as grossly disproportionate, warning it could pave the way for further silencing of dissent. Legal experts argue that the judgment threatens Tunisia’s democratic legacy (born in the Arab Spring) especially as President Saied has consolidated power since 2021, dissolving parliament, ruling by decree, and weakening institutional checks. With this sentence, critics say Tunisia may be crossing a red line: equating criticism, even harsh, with an existential threat.
0 Comments