A military court in Tunisia has sentenced Yassine Ayari, a blogger, to three years imprisonment following posts on social media. The military judge described the posts as “defaming the army” and “insulting military high command”.
“In a single day, Tunisia’s military court imposed prison sentences on a union leader and a blogger for speech offenses, even though neither was present for his trial,” said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This is not worthy of the new Tunisia.”
In a statement made available to Innovation Village, Human Rights Watch said international law applicable in Tunisia prohibits the trial of civilians before military courts.
In August and September, Ayari published several Facebook posts criticizing Minister of Defense Ghazi Jeribi for refusing to appoint a new head for military intelligence, and for weakening military institutions.
Article 91 of Tunisia’s code of military justice authorizes up to three years imprisonment for anyone who “commits … outrages against the flag or the army, offenses against the dignity, reputation or morale of the army, or acts to undermine military discipline, obedience and due respect to superiors or criticizes the action of military hierarchy or the military officers, offending their dignity.”
“Repressive laws like article 91 of the military justice code should have no place in a country where basic human rights are the foundation of its new constitution,” Goldstein said. “As long as such laws remain, those in power can’t resist the temptation to silence criticism and dissent.”
