Tunisian police have arrested two young men over a satirical song that criticizes them, in a move that heightens fears of the erosion of freedom of expression since President Kais Saied has consolidated most powers. Lawyer Iman Souissi revealed that "the young men, Youssef Chalabi and Diaa Nasir, face charges of insulting others via social media and attributing falsehoods to officials," noting that "the young men could face a prison sentence of up to one year if the court confirms the charge."
This week, the young men published a song on "TikTok" and "Facebook," showing themselves laughing and singing a satirical melody that criticizes the police's treatment of detainees and drug laws. A few days after the song became popular, the police arrested two of them and are searching for a third.
The arrest of the young men sparked widespread outrage among activists and bloggers who reshared the song to express their solidarity with them. Activists claimed that "freedoms have become besieged," while others stated, "Tunisia has become a large prison."
On Tuesday, a Tunisian appellate court sentenced Khalifa Al-Qasimi, a journalist at "Mosaic FM," to five years in prison for leaking information about security agencies after he published a report on the dismantling of a terrorist cell. The journalists' union criticized the ruling as shocking, considering it "the harshest punishment against a journalist in Tunisia's history and unprecedented even during the most dictatorial periods," stating, "the ruling was a message to silence journalists."
Freedom of expression and the press were significant gains for Tunisians following the 2011 revolution that ended former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's rule and sparked protests in the Arab region. Saied, who issued a decision to dissolve parliament in 2021 and has nearly controlled all powers, pledged to protect rights and freedoms, stating that he "will not be a dictator."
However, his opponents, who described his actions as a coup, claimed he has established a one-man rule, imprisoned his opponents, and suppressed critical voices. This year, police arrested several prominent opposition leaders on charges of conspiring against state security, a step the opposition described as solidifying a dictatorial regime.
