A Tunisian court has sentenced a 56-year-old labourer, Saber Chouchane, to death for Facebook posts criticising President Kaïs Saied, a ruling that has sparked strong condemnation from human rights groups.
The Court of First Instance in Nabeul delivered the verdict on Thursday, October 2, 2025, convicting Chouchane on charges of insulting the president, attempting to overthrow the state, and spreading false information.
The prosecution relied on Tunisia’s penal code and Decree-Law 54, the 2022 cybercrime legislation often criticised for restricting free expression.
Chouchane, in detention since January 2024, allegedly ran a Facebook page called “Kaïs le misérable” (“Kaïs the miserable”), where he shared caricatures and calls for protests.
His lawyer described him as a low-income worker with little education who supported his family through day labour.
READ ALSO: Kano-Tunisia Partnership: Gov Yusuf Hosts Tunisian Ambassador
The ruling has been denounced by the Tunisian League for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, all warning that imposing capital punishment for online commentary sets a “dangerous precedent” for free speech in Tunisia.
Although Tunisia retains the death penalty, the country has not carried out an execution since 1991.
defence team has said it will appeal.
The case comes amid growing concern over Tunisia’s political trajectory since President Saied consolidated power in 2021, with critics accusing his government of eroding democratic freedoms.