A Tunisian court on Thursday, February 19, 2026, handed lawmaker Ahmed Saidani an eight-month prison sentence over social media posts that ridiculed President Kais Saied, in a case that critics say highlights a growing clampdown on dissent in the North African nation.
The sentence follows Saidani’s arrest earlier this month after he posted comments on Facebook about Saied’s visits to areas hit by severe flooding. In one message, he sarcastically referred to the president as the “supreme commander of sanitation and stormwater drainage,” a remark authorities deemed insulting and punishable under Tunisia’s telecommunications law.
A judicial official said the lawmaker was convicted on charges of insulting others through communication networks, an offence that can carry up to two years in prison under the nation’s legal code. His lawyer, Houssem Eddine Ben Attia, told reporters the prosecution was based on this provision.
Saidani, who was elected to parliament in late 2022 in a low-turnout election held after Saied dissolved the previous legislature and dismissed the government in 2021, was once seen as a supporter of the president.
However, he has in recent months become a vocal critic, accusing Saied of centralising decision-making power and avoiding accountability.
The sentence has drawn criticism from fellow lawmakers and rights advocates. Member of Parliament Bilel Mechri condemned the arrest and conviction as an encroachment on parliamentary independence and freedom of expression, questioning how legislators can hold the executive to account if criticism leads to imprisonment.
The ruling comes amid heightened scrutiny of President Saied’s approach to governance. Since 2021, he has ruled largely by decree, a move opponents have described as a coup, and dozens of critics, journalists and political opponents have faced prosecution or detention under laws that penalise online criticism and “false news.” Human rights groups say the actions reflect a broader erosion of civil liberties in Tunisia.
Saidai’s conviction adds to a string of cases in which critics of the president have been charged under Tunisia’s telecommunications and online communications statutes, prompting concern from international rights organisations about the shrinking space for political dissent.