A Tunisian lawmaker jailed for criticizing President Kais Saied was released Tuesday under a broad holiday presidential pardon, his lawyer confirmed.
Ahmed Saidani was freed alongside more than a thousand prisoners selected for release ahead of the major Eid al-Adha holiday.
A court sentenced Saidani in February to eight months in prison for allegedly harming others through public social media posts.
The lawmaker had mocked Saied’s inspection of flooded areas, calling the head of state the supreme commander of sanitation infrastructure.
While Saidani originally supported the president’s contentious 2021 power grab, he recently transitioned into a vocal critic of the administration.
Human rights organizations warn that freedom of expression has deteriorated rapidly since Saied consolidated total political authority five years ago.
Dozens of political opponents and dissidents currently face active prosecution or remain imprisoned under restrictive anti-false news legislation.
