News / North Africa

Tunisia’s military court sentences lawmaker to jail for 'insulting' president, army

Sunday, 20 February 2022 6:37 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 20 February 2022 6:45 AM ]

Tunisian parliament member Yassine Ayari attends a session in the capital, Tunis, on Feb. 15, 2018. (File photo by AFP)

A military court in Tunisia has sentenced a lawmaker to prison for describing President Kais Saied's move against the parliament in July as a "foreign-backed military coup."

Yassin Ayari was sentenced to 10 months in prison on Friday for insulting the president and the army with his "military coup" remarks.

The MP, who is on a visit to France and was tried by the court in absentia, was originally arrested at the end of July after Saied lifted parliamentary immunity for lawmakers.

"It's ridiculous. ... Yesterday Saied said in Brussels that he is not a dictator, and today a military court issues a prison sentence against freedom of expression to a lawmaker," said Ayari.

In late July, Saied suspended parliament, dismissed the prime minister and said he would assume executive powers. In September, the president took further steps to effectively rule by decree.

Saied's political opponents have expressed fears of a return to authoritarianism in Tunisia following the overthrow of the late dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's government in 2011.

Protesters have rallied in the capital, Tunis, to voice their opposition to what they see as Saied's seizure of governing powers, calling on him to resign, and demanding the constitution be respected.

Tunisians protest against President Saied's 'power seizure' as opposition deepens

Thousands of protestors rallied in Tunis to protest against President Kais Saied

Last month, Saied gave assurances that constitutional "freedoms are guaranteed."

Saied, who has laid out a roadmap for drafting a new constitution before elections at the end of this year, reiterated his commitment to equality before the law and his rejection of violence.

Some Tunisians, frustrated with what they deem as an inept and graft-ridden parliamentary system, have expressed support for Saied's moves.

The president dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, the body which guarantees the independence of the judiciary, earlier this month.

The newly-established provisional judicial body granted Saied the power to appoint and dismiss judges, supporting the president to further consolidate his authority in the North African country.

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