Tunisia softens its ‘false news’ penalty. What really changed, and why now?

What the report says

Tunisia has amended Decree 54, the cybercrime law long criticized by rights advocates for targeting speech online, so that first-time convictions for spreading “false news” no longer carry prison terms. Instead, the change replaces the previous five-year jail penalty with fines of 10,000 to 20,000 Tunisian dinars, while repeat offenders can still face imprisonment. The measure took effect on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera’s report from Tunis.

The decree, introduced by President Kais Saied in September 2022, has been used against journalists, bloggers, lawyers, opposition figures and activists. Al Jazeera reported that Tunisian and international groups, including the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the European Parliament, have described it as a tool to restrict free expression. The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists says hundreds of people have been tried under it since it came into force, with journalists among those facing repeated prosecutions.

Al Jazeera said the government argues the law is needed to combat online crime, disinformation and attacks on public order. Critics say the amendment does not solve the broader problem, because other legal measures remain in place and abusive prosecutions continue. Figures cited by the outlet included high-profile cases such as lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani, who has faced multiple charges, and other opponents of Saied’s rule.

The timing appears linked to mounting domestic pressure, including planned protests by civil society groups and continued criticism over democratic backsliding and economic hardship. The report also noted foreign pressure, including calls in the United States for sanctions on Saied. Nonetheless, activists and media defenders are still calling for Decree 54 to be repealed entirely.