A court in Sfax (Tunisia's second-largest city) has sentenced well-known comedian Lotfi Abdelli to 18 months in prison in absentia, convicting him of insulting a public official and offending public morals after a 2022 stand-up show in which he mocked the police — an incident that was filmed and sparked public controversy. Abdelli, who has been living in exile in France since the episode, dismissed the verdict on social media, writing "My only crime is the truth." The case is the latest in a string of convictions this week that highlight Tunisia's deteriorating climate for free expression, which has also seen journalist and lawyer Sonia Dahmeni re-sentenced to 18 months on appeal and Islamist opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi handed a 20-year prison term on top of the 40 years he is already serving.