In today’s Tunisia, a wind of protest is blowing in the political and media spheres following the adoption of Decree-Law 54. This legislation, promulgated in 2022 by President Kaïs Saïed, was initially intended to combat the spread of disinformation and cybercrime on social networks. However, its application has raised serious concerns about its use to muzzle the press, political opponents and engaged citizens.
Decree-Law 54 provides for severe penalties for the dissemination of false news or rumors, with significant financial fines and prison sentences of up to five years. This repression has already led to legal proceedings against around fifteen journalists, some of whom have been arrested and imprisoned. Internet users are not spared, facing prosecution for simple publications on social networks.
Faced with this liberticidal drift, the journalists’ union and nearly forty Tunisian parliamentarians have joined forces to demand the amendment of Decree-Law 54. Mohamed Ali, MP and rapporteur of the Law and Freedoms Committee, stresses that it is urgent to rectify the situation in order to preserve citizens’ rights, particularly freedom of expression: “This decree goes against democratic principles and fundamental freedoms. We must act quickly to propose a new text that respects the values of our society.”
Despite the growing support for the revision of the decree, obstacles remain. Zied Dabbar, president of the journalists’ union, deplores the refusal of the President of Parliament to follow up on the MPs’ initiative. This political inertia highlights the limits of legislative power in the face of the executive in Tunisia, thus reinforcing concerns about the consolidation of authoritarianism.
In a context where fundamental freedoms are being undermined, citizen and political mobilization is becoming essential to preserve democracy and the rights of individuals. The revision of Decree-Law 54 is not only a legal necessity, but above all a moral imperative to guarantee an environment that respects the freedoms and rights of everyone in Tunisia.