Human Rights Bound

A Tunis appeals court has confirmed a two-year prison sentence against opposition leader Abir Moussi, upholding a conviction linked to allegations of digital misinformation and defamation. The ruling, tied to a case initiated by Tunisia’s election authority, comes amid a wider use of legal provisions governing online speech in politically sensitive cases.

The arrest of former senator and NGO leader Mohamed Ould Gadda in Mauritania, following his efforts to submit evidence on a sensitive police laboratory corruption file, has triggered criticism from MPs and opposition figures who view the case as a test of protections for whistleblowers and civil liberties.​

Morocco is seeing a steady rise in court cases against social media influencers, as prosecutors apply existing penal‑code provisions to online speech that once drew little official reaction. Recent prosecutions targeting YouTubers and TikTok personalities for alleged false information, insult, privacy violations, and offenses against public morals highlight how visible digital creators have become a frontline test of the country’s approach to free expression.

Moroccan streamer Ilyas El Maliki was arrested 25 November 2025 in El Jadida, following a police summons tied to a defamation complaint; details remain under investigation while public scrutiny grows.