Tunisian commentator sentenced to two years under controversial anti-fake news law

TUNIS, Tunisia -- A well-known Tunisian lawyer and commentator was sentenced to 2 years successful situation complete remarks she made astir nan North African state and its curen of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

Sonia Dahmani was recovered blameworthy connected Thursday of violating a statute against clone news that critics person agelong based on Tunisian authorities usage to stifle disapproval of President Kais Saied. Saied, a populist, has aggressively pursued his opponents since taking office, often casting them arsenic overseas agents aliases accusing them of undermining authorities security.

The cybercrime statute, known arsenic Decree-Law 54, makes it forbidden “to produce, spread, disseminate, nonstop aliases constitute mendacious news ... pinch nan purpose of infringing nan authorities of others, harming nationalist information aliases nationalist defense aliases sowing panic among nan population.”

Since its transition successful 2022, journalists and quality authorities groups person said Decree-Law 54 is among nan ways that authorities person curbed state of look successful Tunisia nether Saied.

Dozens of guidance figures, journalists and governmental commentators person been charged aft criticizing nan government, including Dahmani, who is being prosecuted successful respective cases for remarks she made earlier this year, her lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi told The Associated Press.

In May, she sarcastically criticized Tunisia connected a backstage power station, calling attraction to nan economical conditions and nan racism afflicting Black migrants surviving successful nan country.

“What a magnificent state you speak of,” she said connected nan power during a chat astir migrants that followed clashes betwixt them and Tunisians.

Masked plainclothes officers subsequently raided nan headquarters of Tunisia’s barroom relation to apprehension her.

Ben Ghazi called Thursday's condemnation cruel and “part of nan shape of harassment practiced by nan authorities against free voices" while Dahmani's defense committee said she was a “victim of injustice and various judicial abuses.”

Arrests ramped up successful nan months earlier Tunisia's Oct. 6 statesmanlike election, which Saied won pinch 90.7% of nan vote. Government critics including Dahmani, her chap Radio IFM commentators Mourad Zeghidi and Borhane Bsaïs, and journalist and commentator Mohammed Boughalleb were each sentenced connected charges that included violating Decree-Law 54.

Zeghidi and Bsais successful May were sentenced to 1 twelvemonth successful situation for violating nan statute. Boughalleb was sentenced to six months successful situation successful April.

“Under specified a decree, nary professional of nan authorities tin consciousness safe,” Human Rights Watch said successful a study past December successful which it documented 22 tribunal cases against authorities critics.

Tunisia is among nan countries successful which populist politicians person successful caller years pushed for authorities targeting nan dissemination of alleged clone news. From Egypt to Uganda, property state advocates person said that leaders person exploited newfound concerns astir misinformation to walk caller laws that stifle morganatic disapproval of nan government.

The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists successful a connection expressed its "firm condemnation of nan ongoing argumentation of blackout and restrictions connected journalistic work” put successful spot by authorities.

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Metz reported from Rabat, Morocco.