The Tunisian Ministry of Justice has taken a resolute stance against “fake news” and disinformation, as outlined in a joint statement with the Ministries of Interior and Technologies on August 23rd, 2023. This decision followed a meeting with the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, to address cybercrime. Notably, reports from non-governmental organizations indicate that Tunisia’s legal framework has frequently been employed against political opponents and journalists rather than those disseminating false information.
The Tunisian head of state had previously enacted a presidential decree in September 2022 to combat the spread of false information on social media platforms.
During a meeting on Wednesday evening, Kaïs Saïed underscored that death threats, insults, defamation, and unfounded rumors have no bearing on freedom of expression. While specific cases or instances prompting the subsequent strict measures announced by the Ministry of Justice were not cited, Saïed’s comments set the tone for the governmental response.
The official statement explains that legal actions have been initiated against administrators of Facebook pages, online accounts, and electronic groups involved in disseminating and publishing false information that violates the rights of others, national security, or the Tunisian state.
These measures come at a time when the Tunisian president has repeatedly voiced concerns about attempts to destabilize the country through malicious campaigns. This assertion coincides with ongoing crises and controversies within the nation, such as the recent debates surrounding bread prices.
However, it is worth noting that Tunisia’s legal framework has often been directed toward political opponents and journalists rather than those responsible for spreading false information, as highlighted by NGO reports. The journalist union has reported approximately twenty legal proceedings against lawyers, bloggers, and journalists based on Decree 54, which stipulates a five-year prison sentence for the dissemination of false news.