A Tunisian court has sentenced 56-year-old day laborer Saber Chouchane to death for mocking President Kais Saied on Facebook—a ruling that has shocked the nation and ignited global outrage. Chouchane, who ran a satirical page titled “Kaïs le Misérable,” was accused of spreading “false news” and “insulting the president” through posts and cartoons criticizing the government. His lawyer, Oussama Bouthalja, described the verdict as “shocking and unprecedented,” noting that Tunisia has not carried out an execution in over three decades. The ruling has been widely condemned as a gross abuse of power and a chilling message to dissenters in a country once hailed as the Arab Spring’s lone democratic success story.

Family members, stunned by the sentence, said Chouchane’s only “crime” was expressing frustration over poverty and corruption. Rights organizations, including the Tunisian League for Human Rights, warn that President Saied’s regime is weaponizing the justice system to silence opposition voices. The government has refused to release evidence of Chouchane’s posts, further fueling claims of censorship and authoritarian overreach. Online, Tunisians have responded with anger and defiance, flooding social media with messages calling for justice and an end to political repression. For many, the ruling marks a dark turning point—proof that free speech in Tunisia now carries a death sentence.

SOURCE: Reclaim the Net