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A Tunisian court on Thursday ordered the release of prominent journalist Mohamed Boughalleb, though his lawyer confirmed that he remains barred from leaving the country.
Boughalleb, 61, had been detained since March last year under a controversial presidential decree aimed at combating “false news,” following a complaint from a civil servant.
His lawyer, Hamadi Zaafrani, told AFP that while the court granted his release, he must remain in Tunisia as his hearing has been postponed until April 21.
A vocal critic of President Kais Saied, Boughalleb was arrested by a cybercrime unit for “insulting others” on social media after making remarks about a religious affairs ministry official.
He was also charged over comments made on a radio show. Initially sentenced to six months in prison, an appeals court later extended his sentence by two months.
Throughout his detention, human rights groups and his family campaigned for his release, citing his deteriorating health due to diabetes and heart issues. His release comes just a day after the prominent human rights activist Sihem Bensedrine was also freed.
The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) welcomed Boughalleb’s release, calling it a new slap in the face for Decree 54, which they described as a weapon to persecute journalists and opinion-holders. The SNJT also urged authorities to release other journalists detained under the law.
Decree 54, enacted by Saied in 2022, imposes five-year prison terms for using communication networks to “produce, spread, or disseminate… false news.” Critics argue it has been used to silence opposition voices, with around 400 people reportedly prosecuted under its provisions.
President Saied, who was elected in 2019 after Tunisia’s Arab Spring transition to democracy, has faced increasing accusations of eroding press freedoms, especially after his sweeping power grab in 2021.
