A Tunisian court has handed down a death sentence to 56-year-old Saber Chouchane, a labourer who was found guilty of insulting President Kais Saied and threatening state security through Facebook posts.
Chouchane, a father of three with limited formal education, had used a Facebook page titled “Kaïs le misérable” (“Kaïs the miserable”) to share caricatures of the president, call for protests, and publish pointed criticisms of his rule.
The court’s decision has sparked widespread shock, outrage, and criticism, with many describing the ruling as a deliberate attempt to instil fear among Saied’s critics.
Chouchane’s lawyer, Oussama Bouthalja, has denounced the sentence as “incredible and deeply alarming,” highlighting the severity of the punishment. “The judge in the Nabeul court sentenced the man to death over Facebook posts. It is a shocking and unprecedented ruling,” Bouthalja said, adding that an appeal has already been filed. The justice ministry was not immediately available to comment on the matter.
The sentence has raised concerns about the state of freedom of expression in Tunisia, where critics of the regime have faced increasing pressure and repression since President Saied seized almost all powers in 2021.
While courts have occasionally handed down death sentences in Tunisia, none have been carried out for more than three decades.
Chouchane’s family has expressed shock and disappointment over the ruling, with his brother Jamal saying, “We are a family suffering from poverty, and now oppression and injustice have been added to poverty”.
The case has sparked a wave of criticism and ridicule on social media, with activists warning that such harsh measures could further stifle free expression and deepen political tensions in the country.
As Chouchane’s appeal makes its way through the courts, human rights advocates and democracy supporters around the world are closely watching the case, which will have significant implications for the future of freedom of expression in Tunisia.
