Summary
A Tunisian man, Saber Ben Chouchane, received a presidential pardon and was released from prison after being sentenced to death for Facebook posts against President Kais Saied. His posts were judged to insult the president and others, as well as incite false news. The case drew significant attention from human rights groups, criticizing the harsh sentence as an expression of repression.
Key Facts
- Saber Ben Chouchane was sentenced to death in Tunisia for Facebook posts offensive to President Saied.
- He was pardoned and released from jail, as confirmed by his lawyer and Amnesty International.
- His posts were found to insult the president and spread false news, according to a court.
- Ben Chouchane was arrested in January 2024, and his sentence was issued in Nabeul.
- His lawyer withdrew an appeal, allowing the presidential pardon to proceed.
- Human rights groups criticized the case for stifling free speech and representing government repression.
- President Saied has been ruling by decree since dissolving the elected parliament in 2021.
- A new law criminalizing the spread of false news has been used to prosecute many critics of Saied.
