Tunisia Jails Lawmaker Ahmed Saidani for Mocking President Kais Saied
Critics warn the sentence signals escalating crackdown on dissent as Tunisia’s president consolidates power.
- Ahmed Saidani jailed 8 months for mocking President Saied.
- Opposition decries crackdown on dissent.
- Saidani criticized Saied’s power consolidation.
A court in Tunisia has sentenced lawmaker Ahmed Saidani to eight months in prison over social media posts deemed insulting to President Kais Saied.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, found Saidani guilty of insulting others through communication networks after he posted comments on Facebook mocking the president. In one post, he referred to Saied as the “supreme commander of sewage and rainwater drainage.”
Saidani, who was once aligned with Saied’s campaign against political opponents, has in recent times become a critic, accusing the president of concentrating decision-making power while deflecting responsibility for governance challenges.
A judicial official confirmed that the conviction stemmed from the social media remarks. The lawmaker was arrested earlier this month following the posts.
Reacting to the sentence, fellow parliamentarian Bilel Mechri questioned the legality of the arrest, arguing that it undermines the legislature’s role in holding the executive accountable.
Saidani was elected to parliament in late 2022 in polls marked by low voter turnout. The election followed Saied’s 2021 move to dissolve the previous parliament and dismiss the government — actions the opposition has labelled a coup. Since then, Saied has governed largely by decree.
Several opposition figures, journalists and critics have been detained in the period following Saied’s consolidation of power. Human rights groups contend that the crackdown has curtailed political freedoms, while the president maintains that his actions are lawful and necessary to reform and stabilise the country.
