Highlights
- A Tunisian daily-wage worker sentenced to death for criticizing President Kais Saied on Facebook.
- The court accused him of insulting the president and violating state security.
- International human rights groups and social media users strongly condemn the ruling.
Death Sentence for Facebook Posts
A Tunisian court has sentenced a man to death for Criticism of President Kais Saied on Facebook. He was accused of insulting the president and violating state security.
The 56-year-old laborer, Saber Shushan, had shared multiple posts on Facebook criticizing President Saied before his arrest last year.
“আমরা এটা বিশ্বাস করতে পারছি না। আমরা একটি দরিদ্র পরিবার। আর এখন এই দারিদ্র্যের সঙ্গে যুক্ত হলো নিপীড়ন ও অবিচার।”
Translation: “We cannot believe this. We are a poor family, and now along with poverty comes oppression and injustice.” – Jamal Shushan, Saber’s brother
“ব্যবসায়ী, ক্যারিয়ার বিল্ডার বা মার্কেটার—সবার জন্য এক রোডম্যাপ ! ক্লিক করুন এখানে…”
Legal Proceedings and Appeal
Saber Shushan’s lawyer, Osama Boutelja, said Shushan is an ordinary citizen with very limited formal education. An appeal has been filed against the death sentence. The Tunisian Ministry of Justice has not yet commented on the matter.
While Tunisian courts have occasionally issued death sentences, none have been carried out in over three decades since 1991.
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Public Outcry and Human Rights Concerns
The ruling has sparked widespread protests on social media in Tunisia. Human rights activists and ordinary citizens condemned the sentence, warning that it aims to intimidate critics of President Saied.
“Many believe this harsh action will further restrict freedom of expression and increase political tension in Tunisia.”
Since his election in 2021, President Kais Saied dissolved parliament and assumed almost all powers, leading to growing restrictions on freedom of speech. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the independence of the judiciary.
Opposition parties describe Saied’s actions as a “coup,” while the president labels his opponents as “traitors,” many of whom are now facing charges or imprisoned.
Source: TBS
