Tunisia: Man, 56, handed death sentence over Facebook post criticising president

A Tunisian court has handed a death sentence to a 56-year-old man accused of insulting President Kais Saied and threatening state security through social media posts, in what rights groups have condemned as an unprecedented assault on free expression.

The man, identified as Saber Chouchane, is a day labourer from the remote Cap Bon region and father of three.

According to Africa News, with only secondary-level education, Chouchane managed a little-followed Facebook account under the pseudonym ‘Qais al-Taees,’ where he published critical remarks about the president to a limited audience of a few dozen followers.

Why was Chouchane sentenced to death?

Chouchane was convicted under broad provisions of Tunisia’s Penal Code, including Article 67 (insulting the president), Article 72 (plotting to change the form of government), and charges of spreading false information.

His lawyer, Oussama Bouthalja, described the ruling as ‘shocking and unprecedented,’ stressing that no executions have been carried out in Tunisia for more than three decades despite occasional death sentences.

Chouchane’s family denounced the ruling as an act of injustice and oppression, saying poverty had now been compounded by political persecution.

The verdict immediately triggered a wave of criticism and ridicule across social media, with activists and ordinary citizens warning that the ruling was intended to intimidate Saied’s critics and suppress dissent.

Human rights group demand Chouchane’s release

According to HuMENA, a human rights organisation, the case reflects ‘the alarming deterioration of Tunisia’s judicial system,’ particularly since Saied consolidated power in 2021.

The group warned that the death sentence over Facebook posts is not merely an individual case; it marks a turning point in the dismantling of civic space in Tunisia.

HuMENA has called for the immediate annulment of the judgment, Chouchane’s release, and reforms to align Tunisian law with international human rights standards.

The group also urged authorities to safeguard judicial independence and end political interference in the courts.

“The death penalty is inhumane, irreversible, and has no place in a justice system,” HuMENA said. “Its use as a tool to punish peaceful expression is doubly egregious, violating both the right to life and human dignity.”

Chouchane’s legal team has already filed an appeal, with observers warning the case could deepen political tensions and further erode freedom of expression in Tunisia.