5-Year Jail Term For Creating, Sharing Fake News In This Country; Pay Rs 12 Lakh As Penalty

In a recent portrayal of power, the President of the North African country Tunisia Kais Saied has announced that anyone who spreads fake news shall be imposed a prison sentence for up to 5 years.

The decree also states that if the fake news or rumors circulated are deemed targeting the top officials of the Government or law will attract a fine of 50,000 dinars, equivalent to $15,600 and could attract a jail time of up to 10 years.

The Tunisian President justifies his decree of punishable offense on the same as, “deliberating using communication networks and information systems to produce, promote, publish or send false information or rumors.”

Saied has also fired 57 judges of the country for their alleged involvement in corruption and obstructing hearings of terrorism cases, stated DW News.

He justified the dismissal of these 57 judges as a necessary step to purge the country’s judiciary system of corruption, stated another report.

Fears are ranting up in Tunisia about the country turning into a fully automatically ruled one, rightfully so.

“The idea of ??the rule of law and fair trials collapsed. The president is evaluating the work of judges. If they pass judgments that do not fit the authority, their fate is exemption and professional death,” said the Judge Counselor at Tunisia’s Capital Court of Cassation, Mohammed Afif Kchok.

As per a Reuters report, the head of journalists’ union head in the country, Mahdi Jlassi believes that the new decree of not being able to speak as per will initiated by the Tunisian President leaves a new setback for rights and freedoms. 

The penalties for publishing in any networks are a strong blow to the revolutionary values that granted freedom to all journalists and all Tunisians, Jlassi added.

This brings in more prevalence as the North African country has been among the top listed names in the countries having the most open media environments in the Arab world. This goes on to saying that the Tunisian state-owned news agency has been seen frequently publishing reports criticising the government.