A Tunisian criminal court specializing in terrorism has handed down on Tuesday a 37-year prison sentence to a young man convicted in absentia,following a complaint lodged by a sitting female Member of Parliament.
The charges stem from a series of Facebook posts made by the defendant,which were deemed inflammatory and threatening. The posts allegedly incited violence,called for the MP’s assassination,and included declarations of apostasy — all of which are considered grave offenses under Tunisia’s counter-terrorism laws.
The Specialized Criminal Chamber for Terrorism Cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance delivered the ruling with immediate effect,reflecting the severity with which the judiciary views online extremism and its potential to incite public harm. The sentence is broken down into 20 years for incitement to murder,12 years for suspected affiliation with a terrorist organization,and five years for the charge of apostasy. The accused remains at large,and authorities have intensified efforts to track him down.
In addition to the prison term,the court has placed the individual under administrative supervision for five years to commence upon completion of the sentence. This provision,standard in terrorism-related convictions,is intended to monitor reintegration and deter reoffending. The ruling underscores Tunisia’s ongoing struggle to combat radical ideologies and protect public officials from politically motivated threats in both digital and physical spaces.
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