Tunisian MP jailed for eight months over posts mocking president
#Tunisia #MP jailed #President mocking #Social media posts #Political dissent #Freedom of expression #Floods
📌 Key Takeaways
- Tunisian MP Ahmed Saidani sentenced to 8 months in prison for mocking President Kais Saied
- Saidani was arrested for social media posts calling the president 'supreme commander of sanitation and rainwater drainage'
- The case is part of what human rights groups describe as Saied's crackdown on dissent
- Saidani was once a supporter of Saied but has recently become an outspoken critic
📖 Full Retelling
A Tunisian court has sentenced lawmaker Ahmed Saidani to eight months in prison on Thursday for social media posts mocking President Kais Saied following recent deadly floods, as confirmed by a judicial official. The 54-year-old MP was arrested earlier this month after posting on social media about Saied's visits to flood-hit areas, calling him the 'supreme commander of sanitation and rainwater drainage.' According to his lawyer Houssem Eddine Ben Attia, Saidani was prosecuted under a telecommunications law against 'harming others via social media,' an offense punishable by up to two years in prison. The lawmaker's Facebook posts mocked the president for 'taking up the hobby of taking photos with the poor and destitute' while visiting flooded areas in the capital Tunis and other regions. Human rights groups have criticized what they describe as an escalation of Saied's crackdown on dissent since he suspended Tunisia's parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. Fellow MP Bilel Mechri condemned the arrest as 'a violation of the law and an attack on institutions,' questioning how parliament could hold the executive authority to account if lawmakers face unlawful arrest for critical views. Saidani, once a supporter of Saied's consolidation of power, has recently become an outspoken critic, accusing the president of monopolizing decision-making while avoiding responsibility.
🏷️ Themes
Freedom of speech, Political dissent, Human rights
📚 Related People & Topics
Political dissent
Dissatisfaction with or opposition to the policies of a governing body
Political dissent is a dissatisfaction with or opposition to the policies of a governing body. Expressions of dissent may take forms from vocal disagreement to civil disobedience to the use of violence. The Constitution of the United States regards non-violent demonstration and disagreement with the...
Tunisia
Country in North Africa
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares maritime borders with Italy through the islands of Sicily...
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Peace and conflict studies
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Original Source
Tunisian MP jailed for eight months over posts mocking president 54 minutes ago Share Save Wycliffe Muia Share Save A Tunisian court has sentenced a lawmaker to eight months in prison over social media posts mocking President Kais Saied following recent deadly floods. Ahmed Saidani was arrested earlier this month after he posted on social media about Saied's visits to flood-hit areas, calling him the "supreme commander of sanitation and rainwater drainage". He was jailed on Thursday on charges of insulting others via communication networks, a judicial official said. Saidani's lawyer, Houssem Eddine Ben Attia, told AFP news agency that his client was being prosecuted under a telecommunications law against "harming others via social media", an offence punishable by up to two years in prison. Human rights groups have criticised what they describe as an escalation of Saied's crackdown on dissent since he suspended Tunisia's parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. Tunisia's president - saviour or usurper of power? Saidani, once a supporter of Saied's consolidation of power and the arrest of opposition figures, has recently turned into an outspoken critic of the president. In his Facebook post, the lawmaker mocked the president for "taking up the hobby of taking photos with the poor and destitute" while visiting flooded areas in the capital, Tunis and other parts of the country. Saidani, who was elected as a lawmaker in 2022, has also accused the president of monopolising decision-making while avoiding responsibility, leaving others to take the blame. "This is a violation of the law and an attack on institutions. How can parliament hold the executive authority to account if it carries out an unlawful arrest over critical views," fellow MP Bilel Mechri told Reuters news agency. At least five people died and several remain missing after Tunisia experienced its heaviest rainfall in over 70 years last month. President Saied was elected in 2019 promising a return to sta...
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