Ahmad 
The Tunisian judiciary sentenced Tunisian lawyer Sania Dahmani to one year in prison after convicting her of publishing “false news,” against the backdrop of sarcastic comments she made criticizing the political situation in the country.
The judicial decision was issued two months after her arrest at the headquarters of the Lawyers House in Tunisia by Tunisian security forces.
Dahmani’s arrest on May 11 came within the framework of implementing “Decree 54,” which was issued by Tunisian President Kais Saied in 2022 and stipulates prison sentences of up to five years and large fines for anyone who publishes false news or misleading data that would harm public security.
Al-Dahmani criticized the government’s policies towards immigration issues and stressed that Tunisia would not turn into a “transit country” for immigrants, in addition to her comments regarding the general situation in the country, which required a judicial investigation.
The ruling was met with widespread criticism by journalists and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which issued a statement on May 30 condemning the use of the decree to suppress opposition and limit freedom of expression, noting that it threatens the gains of the 2011 revolution. .
In a related context, President Saied warned against attempts to destabilize the country before the presidential elections scheduled for October, calling for intensifying efforts to combat crime and protect citizens.
Lawyer Sania Dahmani is a founding member of the “Young Judges Association,” and is known for her activity in defending prisoners of conscience in Tunisia, advocating for issues of public freedoms, and participating in protests against corruption and demanding improvement of living conditions in Tunisia.
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