{"id":2989,"date":"2026-11-13T13:43:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T13:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/?p=2989"},"modified":"2026-11-13T13:43:48","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T13:43:48","slug":"the-architecture-of-silence-when-self-censorship-becomes-a-substitute-criminal-contract","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/the-architecture-of-silence-when-self-censorship-becomes-a-substitute-criminal-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"The Architecture of Silence: When Self-Censorship Becomes a Substitute \u201cCriminal Contract\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2989\" class=\"elementor elementor-2989\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76c82a2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"76c82a2\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97f4971 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"97f4971\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<head>\n    <meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n    <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n    <title>The Architecture of Silence: When Self-Censorship Becomes a Substitute \u201cCriminal Contract\u201d<\/title>\n    <link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\n    <link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin>\n    <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700;800;900&family=Cairo:wght@400;600;700;800;900&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n    <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdnjs.cloudflare.com\/ajax\/libs\/font-awesome\/6.4.0\/css\/all.min.css\">\n\n    <style>\n        \/* \u062a\u0639\u0631\u064a\u0641 \u062e\u0637 Janna LT Arabic *\/\n        @font-face {\n            font-family: 'Janna LT Arabic';\n            src: local('Janna LT Arabic'), local('JannaLT-Regular');\n            font-weight: normal;\n        }\n        @font-face {\n            font-family: 'Janna LT Arabic';\n            src: local('Janna LT Arabic Bold'), local('JannaLT-Bold');\n            font-weight: bold;\n        }\n\n        :root {\n            \/* \u0648\u0636\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0647\u0627\u0631 \u2014 \u0647\u0648\u064a\u0629 \u062c\u0645\u0639\u064a\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0633\u0627\u0621\u0644\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a\u0629 *\/\n            --bg-body: #faf8f3;\n            --bg-card: #ffffff;\n            --bg-header: #013d2b;\n            --text-main: #1c2b24;\n            --text-muted: #4f6158;\n            --accent-primary: #019267;\n            --accent-gold: #c9a96a;\n            --border-color: #d9e4dd;\n            --shadow-md: 0 4px 6px -1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 2px 4px -1px rgba(0,0,0,0.06);\n            --shadow-lg: 0 10px 15px -3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 4px 6px -2px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\n            --radius-md: 12px;\n            --radius-lg: 16px;\n        }\n\n        \/* \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0627\u0643\u0646 *\/\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] {\n            --bg-body: #03140e;\n            --bg-card: #0a2219;\n            --bg-header: #03140e;\n            --text-main: #eef3ef;\n            --text-muted: #9fb3a9;\n            --accent-primary: #2fc48f;\n            --accent-gold: #e0c48a;\n            --border-color: #16352a;\n            --shadow-md: 0 4px 6px -1px rgba(0,0,0,0.7);\n            --shadow-lg: 0 10px 15px -3px rgba(0,0,0,0.8);\n        }\n\n        * {\n            box-sizing: border-box;\n            margin: 0;\n            padding: 0;\n            transition: background-color 0.35s ease, color 0.35s ease, border-color 0.35s ease;\n        }\n\n        body {\n            font-family: 'Janna LT Arabic', 'Cairo', 'Tajawal', sans-serif;\n            background-color: var(--bg-body);\n            color: var(--text-main);\n            line-height: 2.15;\n            font-size: 20px;\n            overflow-x: hidden;\n            width: 100%;\n        }\n\n        \/* \u0634\u0631\u064a\u0637 \u062a\u0642\u062f\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0631\u0627\u0621\u0629 *\/\n        #reading-progress {\n            position: fixed;\n            top: 0;\n            right: 0;\n            height: 5px;\n            background: linear-gradient(90deg, #019267, #c9a96a, #e8d9b5);\n            width: 0%;\n            z-index: 10000;\n            transition: width 0.1s ease;\n        }\n\n        \/* \u0634\u0631\u064a\u0637 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u062f\u0648\u0627\u062a \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0644\u0648\u064a *\/\n        .navbar {\n            position: sticky;\n            top: 0;\n            background-color: var(--bg-card);\n            border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-color);\n            padding: 12px 4%;\n            display: flex;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n            align-items: center;\n            z-index: 1000;\n            box-shadow: var(--shadow-md);\n            width: 100%;\n        }\n\n        .navbar-brand {\n            font-weight: 900;\n            font-size: 1.3rem;\n            color: var(--accent-primary);\n            display: flex;\n            align-items: center;\n            gap: 12px;\n            text-decoration: none;\n        }\n\n        .navbar-brand i { color: var(--accent-gold); font-size: 1.5rem; }\n        .navbar-tools { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; }\n\n        .tool-btn {\n            background: var(--bg-body); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); color: var(--text-main);\n            padding: 7px 16px; border-radius: 10px; cursor: pointer;\n            font-family: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-size: 0.95rem; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;\n        }\n        .tool-btn:hover { border-color: var(--accent-gold); color: var(--accent-gold); }\n\n        \/* \u0627\u0644\u0647\u064a\u062f\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633\u064a *\/\n        .hero {\n            background: linear-gradient(135deg, #012a1e 0%, #019267 100%);\n            padding: 110px 4% 90px 4%; text-align: center; position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%;\n        }\n        .hero::after {\n            content: \"\"; position: absolute; bottom: -50px; left: -10%; width: 120%; height: 100px;\n            background: var(--bg-body); transform: rotate(-1.5deg);\n        }\n        .hero h1 {\n            color: #ffffff !important;\n            font-size: 3.2rem;\n            font-weight: 900;\n            margin-bottom: 20px;\n            line-height: 1.4;\n            text-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);\n            max-width: 1300px;\n            margin-left: auto;\n            margin-right: auto;\n        }\n        .hero .subtitle { color: #e8f3ee; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 600; max-width: 1000px; margin: 0 auto; line-height: 1.7; }\n        .hero .author { font-size: 1.3rem; font-weight: 600; color: #e8d9b5; margin-top: 20px; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; gap: 10px; }\n\n        \/* \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0647\u0631\u0633 *\/\n        .toc-top-container { width: 90%; max-width: 1400px; margin: 40px auto 50px auto; background: transparent; padding: 10px; }\n        .toc-top-container h3 { font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: 900; margin-bottom: 25px; color: var(--accent-primary); display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--accent-gold); padding-bottom: 15px; }\n        .toc-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(280px, 1fr)); gap: 15px; list-style: none; }\n        .toc-grid a { text-decoration: none; color: var(--text-main); font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.1rem; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; padding: 14px 20px; border-radius: 12px; background: var(--bg-card); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); transition: all 0.3s ease; box-shadow: var(--shadow-md); }\n        .toc-grid a:hover { background: rgba(1, 146, 103, 0.05); color: var(--accent-primary); border-color: var(--accent-primary); transform: translateY(-4px); box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg); }\n\n        \/* \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062d\u062a\u0648\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633\u064a *\/\n        .article-main { width: 90%; max-width: 1100px; margin: 0 auto; padding-bottom: 80px; }\n        .article-section { background: transparent; border: none; padding: 20px 0 40px 0; scroll-margin-top: 100px; width: 100%; }\n        .article-section h2 { font-size: 2.2rem; font-weight: 900; color: var(--accent-primary); margin-bottom: 30px; position: relative; padding-right: 25px; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 40px; }\n        .article-section h2::before { content: \"\"; position: absolute; top: 5px; right: 0; width: 8px; height: calc(100% - 10px); background: var(--accent-gold); border-radius: 6px; }\n        .article-section h3 { font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: 800; color: var(--text-main); margin: 40px 0 20px; line-height: 1.6; }\n        .article-section h3 span { color: var(--accent-gold); margin-left: 8px; }\n        .article-section p { margin-bottom: 28px; text-align: justify; line-height: 2.3; font-size: 1.15em; color: var(--text-main); }\n        .intro-text { font-size: 1.35em !important; font-weight: 600; color: var(--text-main); line-height: 2 !important; border-right: 4px solid var(--accent-gold); padding-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 40px !important; background: var(--bg-card); padding: 30px; border-radius: var(--radius-md); box-shadow: var(--shadow-md); }\n\n        .info-quote { background: rgba(1, 146, 103, 0.06); border-right: 4px solid var(--accent-primary); padding: 20px; margin: 30px 0; border-radius: 8px; font-weight: bold; color: var(--accent-primary); }\n        .article-section p.info-quote { text-align: right; line-height: 2; }\n        .article-section ul.list { margin: -10px 0 28px; padding-right: 30px; }\n        .article-section ul.list li { font-size: 1.15em; line-height: 2.2; margin-bottom: 10px; }\n        .article-section ul.list li::marker { color: var(--accent-gold); }\n\n        \/* \u062a\u0635\u0645\u064a\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0635\u0648\u0631 *\/\n        .image-container {\n            width: 100%; max-width: 1100px; margin: 60px auto; background: var(--bg-header); border-radius: var(--radius-md);\n            overflow: hidden; box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg); opacity: 0; transform: translateY(30px); transition: opacity 1s ease, transform 1s ease;\n        }\n        .image-container.in-view { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }\n        .content-img { width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 1152 \/ 928; object-fit: contain; display: block; background-color: #000; }\n\n        \/* \u0635\u0648\u0631\u062a\u0627\u0646 \u0645\u062a\u062c\u0627\u0648\u0631\u062a\u0627\u0646 *\/\n        .image-pair { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 20px; margin: 50px 0; }\n        .image-pair .image-container { margin: 0; }\n\n        \/* =========================================\n           \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0646\u0641\u0648\u062c\u0631\u0627\u0641\u064a\u0643 1\n        ========================================= *\/\n        .infographic-wrapper {\n            background: var(--bg-card); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); border-radius: var(--radius-lg);\n            padding: 40px 20px; margin: 50px 0; box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg); text-align: center; width: 100%;\n        }\n        .infographic-header h3 { color: #01563d; font-size: 1.8rem; font-weight: 900; margin: 0 0 5px 0; }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .infographic-header h3 { color: var(--accent-primary); }\n        .infographic-header p { color: var(--text-muted); font-size: 1.1rem; margin-bottom: 40px; text-align: center; }\n        .infographic-flow { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 15px; flex-wrap: nowrap; margin-bottom: 40px; direction: rtl; }\n        .info-step { flex: 1; min-width: 160px; border: 2px solid; border-radius: var(--radius-md); padding: 25px 15px; position: relative; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; transition: transform 0.3s ease; }\n        .info-step:hover { transform: translateY(-8px); }\n        .step-1 { border-color: #d3e6dc; background-color: #f6faf8; }\n        .step-2 { border-color: #a9d8c3; background-color: #eef8f3; }\n        .step-3 { border-color: #66c29f; background-color: #e2f4eb; }\n        .step-4 { border-color: #019267; background-color: #d4efe3; }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .step-1 { border-color: #3d5a4e; background-color: rgba(61,90,78,0.12); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .step-2 { border-color: #1f8a63; background-color: rgba(31,138,99,0.12); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .step-3 { border-color: #019267; background-color: rgba(1,146,103,0.16); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .step-4 { border-color: #2fc48f; background-color: rgba(47,196,143,0.2); }\n        .step-number { width: 45px; height: 45px; border-radius: 50%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.4rem; margin-bottom: 15px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; }\n        .step-1 .step-number { background-color: #9bb3a8; }\n        .step-2 .step-number { background-color: #3fb08a; }\n        .step-3 .step-number { background-color: #019267; }\n        .step-4 .step-number { background-color: #01563d; }\n        .step-title { font-weight: 900; color: var(--text-main); font-size: 1.2rem; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.6; }\n        .step-desc { font-size: 0.95rem !important; color: var(--text-muted) !important; line-height: 1.7 !important; margin-bottom: 0 !important; text-align: center !important; }\n        .step-arrow { color: #019267; font-size: 1.5rem; }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .step-arrow { color: #2fc48f; }\n        .infographic-banner { background-color: #01563d; color: #ffffff; padding: 15px 30px; border-radius: 30px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.2rem; display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 25px; box-shadow: var(--shadow-md); line-height: 1.7; }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .infographic-banner { background-color: #019267; }\n        .infographic-caption { font-size: 1rem; color: var(--text-muted); font-style: italic; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.8; }\n\n        \/* =========================================\n           \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0646\u0641\u0648\u062c\u0631\u0627\u0641\u064a\u0643 2\n        ========================================= *\/\n        .indicators-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; direction: rtl; }\n        .indicator-box { display: flex; align-items: center; background-color: var(--bg-card); border: 2px solid; border-radius: var(--radius-md); padding: 15px 20px; text-align: right; transition: transform 0.3s ease; }\n        .indicator-box:hover { transform: translateY(-5px); }\n        .indicator-number { width: 45px; height: 45px; min-width: 45px; border-radius: 50%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.4rem; margin-left: 15px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; }\n\n        .ind-1 { border-color: #a9d8c3; background-color: #eef8f3; }\n        .ind-1 .indicator-number { background-color: #019267; }\n        .ind-2 { border-color: #e2e8e4; background-color: #f8faf9; }\n        .ind-2 .indicator-number { background-color: #6b8579; }\n        .ind-3 { border-color: #e2e8e4; background-color: #f8faf9; }\n        .ind-3 .indicator-number { background-color: #6b8579; }\n        .ind-4 { border-color: #a9d8c3; background-color: #eef8f3; }\n        .ind-4 .indicator-number { background-color: #019267; }\n        .ind-5 { border-color: #66c29f; background-color: #e2f4eb; max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto 50px auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; }\n        .ind-5 .indicator-number { background-color: #01563d; }\n\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .ind-1 { border-color: #019267; background-color: rgba(1,146,103,0.12); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .ind-2 { border-color: #3d5a4e; background-color: rgba(61,90,78,0.12); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .ind-3 { border-color: #3d5a4e; background-color: rgba(61,90,78,0.12); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .ind-4 { border-color: #1f8a63; background-color: rgba(31,138,99,0.15); }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .ind-5 { border-color: #2fc48f; background-color: rgba(47,196,143,0.15); }\n\n        .indicator-text h4 { margin: 0 0 5px 0; color: var(--text-main); font-weight: 900; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.5; }\n        .indicator-text p { margin: 0 !important; color: var(--text-muted) !important; font-size: 0.95rem !important; line-height: 1.6 !important; text-align: right !important; }\n\n        .timeline-wrapper { position: relative; max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto 30px auto; padding-top: 20px; direction: rtl; }\n        .timeline-line { position: absolute; top: 32px; left: 10%; right: 10%; height: 4px; background-color: #d3e6dc; z-index: 1; }\n        [data-theme=\"dark\"] .timeline-line { background-color: #1d4436; }\n        .timeline-points { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; position: relative; z-index: 2; }\n        .timeline-point { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; text-align: center; width: 160px; }\n        .point-dot { width: 28px; height: 28px; border-radius: 50%; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 4px solid var(--bg-card); box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px transparent; }\n        .dot-1 { background-color: #9bb3a8; }\n        .dot-2 { background-color: #019267; }\n        .dot-3 { background-color: #01563d; }\n        .point-label { font-weight: 800; color: var(--text-main); font-size: 1rem; line-height: 1.4; }\n        .timeline-footer { color: var(--text-muted); font-size: 1rem; margin-bottom: 20px; font-weight: 600; }\n\n        \/* \u0642\u0633\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u0637\u0627\u0642\u0627\u062a \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0644\u062e\u0635\u0629 *\/\n        .summary-section { margin-top: 80px; padding-top: 40px; border-top: 2px dashed var(--border-color); }\n        .summary-section h2 { text-align: center; font-size: 2.2rem; font-weight: 900; color: var(--accent-primary); margin-bottom: 40px; }\n        .summary-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(320px, 1fr)); gap: 25px; }\n        .summary-card { background: var(--bg-card); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); padding: 30px; border-radius: var(--radius-md); box-shadow: var(--shadow-md); transition: transform 0.3s ease, border-color 0.3s ease; position: relative; overflow: hidden; }\n        .summary-card::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; width: 5px; height: 100%; background: var(--accent-gold); }\n        .summary-card:hover { transform: translateY(-8px); border-color: var(--accent-gold); box-shadow: var(--shadow-lg); }\n        .summary-card h4 { color: var(--accent-primary); font-size: 1.3rem; font-weight: 800; margin-bottom: 15px; line-height: 1.5; }\n        .summary-card p { font-size: 1rem; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0; color: var(--text-main); }\n\n        \/* ===== \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0633\u062e\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0646\u062c\u0644\u064a\u0632\u064a\u0629 (LTR) ===== *\/\n        #article-root[dir=\"ltr\"] { direction: ltr; text-align: left; font-family: 'Inter', 'Cairo', sans-serif; }\n        #article-root[dir=\"rtl\"] { direction: rtl; text-align: right; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .navbar, [dir=\"ltr\"] .toc-grid a, [dir=\"ltr\"] .summary-card, [dir=\"ltr\"] .indicator-text h4 { direction: ltr; text-align: left; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .hero, [dir=\"ltr\"] .infographic-wrapper { text-align: center; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] body { font-family: 'Inter', 'Cairo', sans-serif; line-height: 1.9; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] #reading-progress { right: auto; left: 0; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section h2 { padding-right: 0; padding-left: 25px; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section h2::before { right: auto; left: 0; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section h3 span { margin-left: 0; margin-right: 8px; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section p { line-height: 1.95; text-align: left; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .intro-text { border-right: none; border-left: 4px solid var(--accent-gold); }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .info-quote { border-right: none; border-left: 4px solid var(--accent-primary); }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section p.info-quote { text-align: left; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section ul.list { padding-right: 0; padding-left: 30px; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .article-section ul.list li { line-height: 1.9; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .infographic-flow, [dir=\"ltr\"] .indicators-grid, [dir=\"ltr\"] .timeline-wrapper { direction: ltr; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .indicator-box { text-align: left; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .indicator-number { margin-left: 0; margin-right: 15px; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .indicator-text p { text-align: left !important; }\n        [dir=\"ltr\"] .summary-card::before { right: auto; left: 0; }\n\n        @media (max-width: 900px) {\n            .infographic-flow { flex-direction: column; }\n            .info-step { width: 100%; }\n            .step-arrow { transform: rotate(-90deg); margin: 10px 0; }\n            [dir=\"ltr\"] .step-arrow { transform: rotate(90deg); }\n            .infographic-header h3 { font-size: 1.4rem; }\n            .infographic-banner { font-size: 1rem; padding: 12px 20px; }\n            .indicators-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }\n        }\n\n        @media (max-width: 768px) {\n            .hero h1 { font-size: 2.1rem; }\n            .hero .subtitle { font-size: 1.1rem; }\n            .article-section h2 { font-size: 1.8rem; }\n            .toc-top-container { width: 95%; margin: 20px auto; }\n            .article-main { width: 95%; }\n            .summary-section h2 { font-size: 1.8rem; }\n            .intro-text { font-size: 1.15em !important; padding: 20px; }\n            .image-container { margin: 40px auto; }\n            .image-pair { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 0; }\n            .image-pair .image-container { margin: 20px 0; }\n            .navbar .btn-text { display: none; }\n\n            \/* Responsive Timeline for Infographic 2 *\/\n            .timeline-points { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 30px; }\n            .timeline-line { top: 0; bottom: 0; left: 50%; right: auto; width: 4px; height: 100%; transform: translateX(-50%); }\n            .timeline-point { width: auto; flex-direction: row; gap: 15px; text-align: right; }\n            [dir=\"ltr\"] .timeline-point { text-align: left; }\n            .point-dot { margin-bottom: 0; }\n        }\n\n    <\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n<div id=\"article-root\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n    <div id=\"reading-progress\"><\/div>\n\n    <nav class=\"navbar\">\n        <a href=\"#\" class=\"navbar-brand\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-scale-balanced\"><\/i>\n            <span>Social Accountability Association<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <div class=\"navbar-tools\">\n            <button class=\"tool-btn\" id=\"btn-theme\" title=\"Change page theme\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-moon\"><\/i><span class=\"btn-text\">Dark mode<\/span><\/button>\n            <button class=\"tool-btn\" id=\"btn-font-dec\" title=\"Smaller text\">A-<\/button>\n            <button class=\"tool-btn\" id=\"btn-font-reset\" title=\"Default size\">A<\/button>\n            <button class=\"tool-btn\" id=\"btn-font-inc\" title=\"Larger text\">A+<\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/nav>\n\n    <header class=\"hero\">\n        <h1>The Architecture of Silence:<br>When Self-Censorship Becomes a Substitute \u201cCriminal Contract\u201d<\/h1>\n        <p class=\"subtitle\">A reading of the chilling effect of Tunisia\u2019s punitive legal arsenal (2021\u20132026)<\/p>\n        <div class=\"author\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-pen-nib\"><\/i> Social Accountability Association | November 2026\n        <\/div>\n    <\/header>\n\n    <section class=\"toc-top-container\">\n        <h3><i class=\"fa-solid fa-list-ul\"><\/i> In this article<\/h3>\n        <ul class=\"toc-grid\">\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-intro\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-intro')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> From the \u201cJailer State\u201d to the \u201cJailer Citizen\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-axis1\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-axis1')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> Deliberate Conflict of Laws and Vagueness<\/a><\/li>\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-axis2\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-axis2')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> The Parallel Arsenal and the Court of Cassation<\/a><\/li>\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-axis3\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-axis3')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> The \u201cCriminal Radar\u201d and the Digital Citizen\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/li>\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-axis4\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-axis4')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> The Institutional Price and the Erosion of Social Peace<\/a><\/li>\n            <li><a href=\"#sec-conclusion\" onclick=\"scrollToSection('sec-conclusion')\"><i class=\"fa-solid fa-chevron-right\"><\/i> Saving Social Peace and Governing the Text<\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <main class=\"article-main\">\n\n        <!-- Introduction -->\n        <section id=\"sec-intro\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Introduction: From the \u201cJailer State\u201d to the \u201cJailer Citizen\u201d<\/h2>\n            <p class=\"intro-text\">Historically, the mentality of the Tunisian state in its relationship with the public space reflected a structural ebb and flow: from an authoritarian system in which the state monopolized the space of expression and punished it, to a noisy revolutionary surge after 2011 that turned the state\u2019s role, \u201cin theory and in legislation,\u201d into that of a protector and fence-builder of freedoms. Yet this historical shift ran into an unframed \u201cshock of freedom.\u201d A society that had lived for decades under political and social repression, and under a \u201cdraining of sources,\u201d faced an open digital space with no institutional mechanisms of awareness or education, and expression in some of its aspects veered toward insults, slander, and virtual agitation.<\/p>\n            <p>Instead of investing, through its institutions (educational, cultural, and legislative), in spreading a culture of responsible expression and legal awareness, the state chose a \u201cpolicy of reciprocal vindictiveness.\u201d The contagion of tension passed from the virtual street into the corridors of legislation, and the state\u2019s role quickly changed from protection to top-down punishment and prosecution through an arsenal of repressive laws.<\/p>\n            <p>The peak of this trend appeared in the space after 25 July 2021, when prisons were no longer merely concrete walls but, through elastic legislative architecture, became \u201cvirtual walls\u201d that the citizen or journalist builds around his own consciousness for fear of punishment. This establishes a more radical paradox: the potential defendant becomes his own jailer and carries out the punishment before the criminal act occurs, through what is known in legal jurisprudence as the \u201cChilling Effect.\u201d In both cases the citizen remains the weakest and most oppressed party, caught between the hammer of suppressed lawlessness and the anvil of the repressive state.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 1 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1437348526-BrA.png\" alt=\"The jailer citizen: a reflection in the mirror hiding prison keys\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Axis 1 -->\n        <section id=\"sec-axis1\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Axis One: Deliberate Conflict of Laws and Vagueness as a Criminalization Strategy<\/h2>\n\n            <h3><span>1.<\/span> The Unconstitutionality of Decree-Law No. 54 and the Demolition of the Principle of \u201cProportionality\u201d<\/h3>\n            <p>Decree-Law No. 54 of 2022 on combating offenses relating to information and communication systems represents the most significant turning point in current Tunisian criminal policy. It collides directly with the constitutional safeguards enshrined in Article 55 of the 2022 Constitution, which requires that restrictions imposed on rights and freedoms be:<\/p>\n            <ul class=\"list\">\n                <li>by virtue of a law (not an exceptional executive decree-law);<\/li>\n                <li>necessary in a democratic society;<\/li>\n                <li>proportionate to the interest to be protected, without infringing the essence of the right.<\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n            <p>In practice, Article 24 of Decree-Law 54 demolished the principle of \u201cproportionality\u201d entirely, by imposing a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of 50,000 dinars for promoting \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201cattributing untrue matters,\u201d and by doubling the penalty to 10 years if the target is a public official. This punitive tightening, combined with the abolition of the \u201cseparation of powers\u201d and the conversion of the judiciary and the legislature into \u201cfunctions\u201d in the new Constitution, has widened the standards of criminalization, as the status of \u201cpublic official\u201d has become a \u201csecurity belt\u201d that prevents any legitimate criticism of the management of public affairs.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 2 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-2054989079-JSi.png\" alt=\"A line dissolving into fog: the blurred limits of criminalization\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <section class=\"article-section\">\n            <h3><span>2.<\/span> Legislative Overlap and the Executive Immunization of Power<\/h3>\n            <p>Decree-Law 54 is complemented by traditional articles of the Penal Code that have been activated procedurally to encircle political criticism:<\/p>\n            <ul class=\"list\">\n                <li><strong>Article 67 of the Penal Code:<\/strong> criminalizes committing an \u201coffensive act (amr muhish) against the President of the Republic\u201d (punishable by 3 years\u2019 imprisonment). It is a sweeping concept inherited from history, lacking any precise technical definition.<\/li>\n                <li><strong>Article 128 of the Penal Code:<\/strong> punishes anyone who attributes unlawful matters to a public official connected with his duties without proof (two years\u2019 imprisonment). The danger here lies in shifting the \u201cburden of proof\u201d entirely onto the shoulders of the citizen or journalist. Exposing a suspicion of corruption without holding official documents that are administratively withheld immediately turns the person from a corruption whistleblower into a defendant under Article 128.<\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n            <p>This restrictive overlap represents \u201cprocedural fraud\u201d that deliberately sidelines the special laws that qualify the general ones, such as Decree-Law No. 115 of 2011 regulating freedom of the press and publishing, which bars custodial penalties in opinion cases, while general punitive texts are applied instead, breaching the established jurisprudential rule: \u201cThe specific limits the general.\u201d<\/p>\n\n            <!-- Infographic 1 -->\n            <div class=\"infographic-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"infographic-header\">\n                    <h3>The Punitive Arsenal: Many Texts, No Clear Line<\/h3>\n                    <p>The main texts used in opinion and digital-expression cases<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"indicators-grid\">\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-1\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">I<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Article 24, Decree-Law 54<\/h4>\n                            <p>\u201cFake news\u201d and \u201cattributing untrue matters\u201d<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-2\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">II<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Article 67, Penal Code<\/h4>\n                            <p>\u201cOffensive act against the President of the Republic\u201d<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-3\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">III<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Article 128, Penal Code<\/h4>\n                            <p>Attributing unlawful matters to a public official without proof<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-4\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">IV<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Article 86, Telecommunications Code<\/h4>\n                            <p>\u201cOffense to others\u201d and \u201cdisturbing their comfort\u201d over networks<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"indicator-box ind-5\">\n                    <div class=\"indicator-number\">V<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                        <h4>Decree-Law 115 of 2011\u2026 sidelined<\/h4>\n                        <p>It bars custodial penalties in opinion cases, yet \u201cthe specific limits the general\u201d<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"timeline-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"timeline-line\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"timeline-points\">\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-1\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">The state monopolizes expression<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-2\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">2011: \u201cshock of freedom\u201d<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-3\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">After 2021: \u201cvirtual walls\u201d<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"timeline-footer\">From the \u201cjailer state\u201d to the \u201cjailer citizen\u201d<\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"infographic-caption\">\n                    Figure 1: Overlapping punitive texts that blur the line between what is permitted and what is prohibited.\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 3 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1178898533-ay3.png\" alt=\"Virtual walls: a citizen inside a glass cage in an open square\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Axis 2 -->\n        <section id=\"sec-axis2\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Axis Two: The Parallel Arsenal and the Decisions of the Court of Cassation<\/h2>\n\n            <h3><span>1.<\/span> Article 86 of the Telecommunications Code: The Classic Weapon, Renewed<\/h3>\n            <p>Article 86 of the Telecommunications Code (the law of 2001) stipulates the imprisonment of anyone who \u201cdeliberately causes offense to others or disturbs their comfort through public telecommunications networks.\u201d Although the text was historically drafted to combat telephone harassment, judicial application after 2021 widened its scope to include digital posts.<\/p>\n            <p>The problem therefore lies in the vagueness of the terms \u201coffense\u201d and \u201cdisturbing comfort,\u201d which collides with the principle of \u201clegality of crimes and penalties\u201d enshrined in Article 34 of the Constitution (no penalty except by virtue of a previously enacted text). On the basis of this article, members of parliament, politicians, and activists have been prosecuted, and the law has been transformed from a technical protection tool into a flexible mechanism for re-architecting the digital space and producing silence.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 4 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1338617060-tfr.png\" alt=\"A vintage telephone cord coiled around a smartphone\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <section class=\"article-section\">\n            <h3><span>2.<\/span> Tunisian Jurisprudence: Between Procedural Rigidity and Quashing by the Court of Cassation<\/h3>\n            <p>Between 2021 and 2026, Tunisian courts experienced a judicial dynamic that reflects the intensity of this legal conflict:<\/p>\n            <p><strong>The case of journalist Khalifa Guesmi:<\/strong> He was sentenced on appeal to 5 years in prison in May 2023 on charges of disclosing security information under the anti-terrorism law. The Court of Cassation then intervened on 6 March 2024 and issued a \u201chistoric\u201d decision of \u201cquashing and remand,\u201d which led to his final vindication (\u201cdismissal of the case\u201d) by the court of remand in June 2025, enshrining the protection of journalistic sources as an essential condition of media freedom.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>The case of journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek:<\/strong> She faced heavy charges, among them committing an \u201coffensive act against the President of the Republic\u201d and conspiracy, and a first-instance sentence of 5 years in prison was issued against her in February 2025. The Court of Appeal then ruled on 13 January 2026 to reduce the sentence to two years while granting her suspension of execution of the custodial sentence, which allowed her release.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>The cases of politicians (the conspiracy and elections cases):<\/strong> The rulings issued against former presidential candidates (such as Ayachi Zammel, sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of forging endorsements, upheld by the Court of Cassation in February 2026) or against leaders of the political opposition to the regime in the \u201cconspiracy file\u201d (Issam Chebbi, Ghazi Chaouachi, and Jaouhar Ben Mbarek) reflected the transformation of the procedural judicial space into an arena for settling the fallout of the political conflict.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 5 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-490882964-LD3.png\" alt=\"An empty courtroom and the scales of justice\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Axis 3 -->\n        <section id=\"sec-axis3\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Axis Three: The \u201cCriminal Radar\u201d and the Digital Citizen\u2019s Guide<\/h2>\n            <p>The repressive laws have produced a sharp split within Tunisian public opinion. A wide wave defended and supported Decree-Law 54, justifying it by the need to put an end to moral anarchy, to cleanse the virtual space of insults, and to protect honor from systematic smear campaigns. In contrast, a massive wave rejected the decree-law and considered it a legislative guillotine whose real aim is to stifle critical voices and empty the political arena of any rational opposition, in addition to founding and entrenching a culture of vindictiveness.<\/p>\n            <p>Between these two waves, the Tunisian citizen finds himself in a daily expressive predicament. To avoid this \u201ccriminal radar\u201d and to avoid becoming a victim of the law\u2019s chilling effect, what does safe expression look like?<\/p>\n\n            <h3><span>1.<\/span> Distinguishing Precisely Between Criticism and Insult<\/h3>\n            <p><strong>Criticism of policies (permitted and constitutional):<\/strong> Focus on criticizing \u201cperformance,\u201d \u201cthe decree-law,\u201d or \u201cthe government program.\u201d This is objective criticism protected by the Constitution and by international standards.<\/p>\n            <p class=\"info-quote\">Example: \u201cThe economic policy followed has led to a decline in purchasing power and a deterioration of administrative services.\u201d<\/p>\n            <p><strong>Insulting persons (criminalized):<\/strong> Avoid entirely addressing the personal self of the official or the citizen with epithets that touch his dignity or honor. Expressions of personal mockery are immediately characterized as an \u201coffensive act\u201d or as \u201coffense to others\u201d over networks.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Images 6 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-pair\">\n            <div class=\"image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-297219585-iXP.png\" alt=\"Criticizing policies: examining figures and reports\" class=\"content-img\">\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1219787141-SBd.png\" alt=\"Insulting persons: anger crushing paper\" class=\"content-img\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <section class=\"article-section\">\n            <h3><span>2.<\/span> Managing the \u201cBurden of Proof\u201d When Exposing Abuses<\/h3>\n            <p>If you want to talk about a suspicion of corruption inside a public service, avoid categorical formulations and direct accusations by name unless you hold conclusive, protected official documents. Use alternative wording such as:<\/p>\n            <p class=\"info-quote\">\u201cWe call on the relevant authorities to open an investigation into the circumstances and procedures of deal X, in order to ensure the principle of transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n            <p>This approach moves the discourse from the category of \u201cfalse claims and attributing untrue matters\u201d (Article 24 of Decree-Law 54) to the category of \u201ccitizens\u2019 demand for oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n            <h3><span>3.<\/span> Verify Before Pressing the \u201cShare\u201d Button<\/h3>\n            <p>Tunisian courts characterize the republishing of false or violating posts (even if you are not the original author) as an intentional contribution to circulating fake news. Remember: you are legally responsible for the content of your page and what you share. Before publishing, confirm with official sources or accredited agencies.<\/p>\n\n            <!-- Infographic 2 -->\n            <div class=\"infographic-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"infographic-header\">\n                    <h3>Before You Press \u201cPost\u201d: What Does Safe Expression Look Like?<\/h3>\n                    <p>General clarification, not legal advice<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"infographic-flow\">\n                    <div class=\"info-step step-2\">\n                        <div class=\"step-number\">I<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"step-title\">Criticize performance<\/div>\n                        <p class=\"step-desc\">Policies, decisions, programs<br>not the person\u2019s dignity<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <i class=\"fa-solid fa-arrow-right step-arrow\"><\/i>\n                    <div class=\"info-step step-3\">\n                        <div class=\"step-number\">II<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"step-title\">Ask for an investigation<\/div>\n                        <p class=\"step-desc\">instead of accusing by name<br>without official documents<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <i class=\"fa-solid fa-arrow-right step-arrow\"><\/i>\n                    <div class=\"info-step step-4\">\n                        <div class=\"step-number\">III<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"step-title\">Verify before sharing<\/div>\n                        <p class=\"step-desc\">You are responsible<br>for your page\u2019s content<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"infographic-banner\">\n                    From \u201cfalse claims\u201d to \u201ccitizens\u2019 demand for oversight\u201d\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"infographic-caption\">\n                    Figure 2: Three rules for avoiding the \u201ccriminal radar\u201d without giving up the right to criticize.\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- Axis 4 -->\n        <section id=\"sec-axis4\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Axis Four: The Institutional Price and the Erosion of Social Peace<\/h2>\n            <p>The documented statistical indicators for the period between 2021 and 2026 show a direct correlation between the overreach of repressive legislation and the decline of the state\u2019s vital indicators:<\/p>\n\n            <!-- Infographic 3 -->\n            <div class=\"infographic-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"infographic-header\">\n                    <h3>The Institutional Price, in Numbers<\/h3>\n                    <p>Vital indicators in decline<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"indicators-grid\">\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-1\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">I<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Press freedom: from 73rd to 137th<\/h4>\n                            <p>Tunisia\u2019s world rank (RSF): 73rd in 2021 (first in the Arab world), 121st in 2023, 137th in 2026<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-2\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">II<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Civil society: from 27,000 to 1,500<\/h4>\n                            <p>Associations monitoring the electoral process: 27,000 in 2014, 17,000 in 2019, 1,500 in 2024<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-3\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">III<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Turnout: from 69% to 8.8%<\/h4>\n                            <p>Participation in legislative elections: 69% in 2014, 43.9% in 2019, 8.8% in 2024<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-box ind-4\">\n                        <div class=\"indicator-number\">IV<\/div>\n                        <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                            <h4>Judiciary: 57 judges dismissed<\/h4>\n                            <p>Under Presidential Decree No. 516 of 2022, after the Supreme Judicial Council was dissolved<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"indicator-box ind-5\">\n                    <div class=\"indicator-number\">V<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"indicator-text\">\n                        <h4>The death of the rational deliberative space<\/h4>\n                        <p>The state loses its early-warning system, and the media becomes a one-way channel<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"timeline-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"timeline-line\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"timeline-points\">\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-1\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">2014: 69% turnout<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-2\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">2019: 43.9% turnout<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"timeline-point\">\n                            <div class=\"point-dot dot-3\"><\/div>\n                            <div class=\"point-label\">2024: 8.8% turnout<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"timeline-footer\">Silence and fear produce disengagement from public affairs<\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"infographic-caption\">\n                    Figure 3: The overreach of repressive legislation alongside the decline of the state\u2019s vital indicators.\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <p>These indicators reveal a steep institutional price. Self-censorship did not only silence opponents; it struck the \u201cjudicial structure\u201d itself, after the dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council and the dismissal of 57 judges under Presidential Decree No. 516 of 2022, which created a climate of fear within the judicial service itself.<\/p>\n            <p>The direct result is the \u201cdeath of the rational deliberative space.\u201d When the academic, the researcher, and the expert choose silence to avoid prosecution, the state loses the early-warning system for its policies, and the media becomes a one-way channel.<\/p>\n            <p>This sharp contraction in expression explains, doctrinally and structurally, the collapse in rates of political and electoral participation (down to 8.8%), since silence and fear produce a complete disengagement from public affairs and an erosion of citizenship.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 7 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1795134439-2tL.png\" alt=\"An empty lecture hall and a forgotten ballot box\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Conclusion -->\n        <section id=\"sec-conclusion\" class=\"article-section\">\n            <h2>Conclusion: Saving Social Peace and Governing the Text<\/h2>\n            <p>The self-censorship that dominates the Tunisian public space today is not evidence of the law\u2019s effectiveness or of the establishment of public order, but a stark indictment of its moral and constitutional legitimacy. When silence becomes the citizen\u2019s only rational choice for protecting his freedom from procedural overreach, texts lose their character as a \u201csocial contract\u201d and turn into \u201ctools of coercive subjugation.\u201d<\/p>\n            <p>On the basis of this legal diagnosis, saving Tunisia\u2019s social peace and rebuilding trust between citizen and state requires urgent technical and organic conditions:<\/p>\n            <p><strong>1. Abolition of Decree-Law No. 54 of 2022:<\/strong> because of its explicit unconstitutionality and its collision with Article 55 of the Constitution, its demolition of the principle of proportionality and necessity in a democratic society, and its transformation from a text for combating cybercrime into a sword hanging over matters of opinion and digital expression.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>2. Reviving the Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA):<\/strong> and activating its independent regulatory role as the safety valve for protecting pluralism and guaranteeing media freedom, far from direct dictates and from institutional censorship directed by the organs of the state and its executive power.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>3. Unifying and restructuring legislation into a \u201clegal text on freedom of expression and publication\u201d:<\/strong> gathering all legal texts relating to freedom of expression, writing, and publishing in a clear, precise, and direct form that does not admit interpretation or conceptual expansion of the \u201cacts of criminalization.\u201d This technical measure aims to end the scattering and vagueness of texts among decree-laws, articles of the Telecommunications Code, the Penal Code, and the Code of Military Pleadings and Penalties, ensuring legal certainty and protecting the public space from the deliberate overlap between texts.<\/p>\n            <p style=\"font-weight: bold; color: var(--accent-primary); font-size: 1.3em; margin-top: 30px; text-align: center;\">An idea that is suppressed out of fear does not die; it turns into a muffled congestion that threatens to explode outside the channels of the state. Dismantling the structure of silence today is the first step toward protecting the future of the public service and of peaceful coexistence in Tunisia.<\/p>\n        <\/section>\n\n        <!-- ========= Image 8 ========= -->\n        <div class=\"image-container\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20width=&#39;_w_&#39;%20height=&#39;_h_&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20_w_%20_h_&#39;%2F%3E\" data-czlz data-src=\"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cinematic-editorial-photography-1793383134-9t2.png\" alt=\"A sprout breaking through concrete: a suppressed idea does not die\" class=\"content-img\">\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Summary -->\n        <section class=\"summary-section\">\n            <h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n            <div class=\"summary-grid\">\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>From the \u201cjailer state\u201d to the \u201cjailer citizen\u201d<\/h4>\n                    <p>After 25 July 2021, prisons became not only concrete walls but \u201cvirtual walls\u201d the citizen builds around his own consciousness, punishing himself before any act occurs.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>Decree-Law 54 and proportionality<\/h4>\n                    <p>The decree-law collides with Article 55 of the Constitution, which requires restrictions to be set by law, necessary and proportionate, while Article 24 turned \u201cpublic official\u201d status into a shield against criticism.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>An overlapping arsenal of vague terms<\/h4>\n                    <p>Articles 67 and 128 of the Penal Code and Article 86 of the Telecommunications Code are applied instead of Decree-Law 115 on press freedom, breaching the rule that \u201cthe specific limits the general.\u201d<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>Courts between rigidity and quashing<\/h4>\n                    <p>From the quashing of Khalifa Guesmi\u2019s sentence and his acquittal, to the reduced sentence of Chadha Hadj Mbarek, to heavy rulings against politicians, the courts mirror the intensity of the legal conflict.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>Criticize performance, not persons<\/h4>\n                    <p>Criticizing policies is permitted and constitutional; epithets that touch a person\u2019s dignity are characterized as an \u201coffensive act.\u201d Asking for an investigation is safer than accusing by name without documents.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>You are responsible for what you share<\/h4>\n                    <p>Republishing a false post can be treated as an intentional contribution to spreading fake news, even if you did not write it. Checking official sources is essential before sharing.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>A steep institutional price<\/h4>\n                    <p>Press freedom rank fell from 73rd to 137th, election-monitoring associations shrank from 27,000 to 1,500, and legislative turnout collapsed from 69% to 8.8%.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"summary-card\">\n                    <h4>Dismantling the structure of silence<\/h4>\n                    <p>The article proposes repealing Decree-Law 54, reviving HAICA, and unifying the texts into a clear law on freedom of expression, because an idea suppressed out of fear does not die.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n    <\/main>\n\n<\/div>\n    <script>\n        const articleRoot = document.getElementById('article-root');\n        const isArabic = (articleRoot ? articleRoot.lang : document.documentElement.lang) === 'ar';\n        const themeLabels = isArabic ? ['\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0627\u0643\u0646', '\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0627\u062a\u062d'] : ['Dark mode', 'Light mode'];\n\n        \/\/ \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0628\u062f\u064a\u0644 \u0628\u064a\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0627\u0643\u0646 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0641\u0627\u062a\u062d\n        const btnTheme = document.getElementById('btn-theme');\n        const btnText = btnTheme.querySelector('.btn-text');\n        const iconTheme = btnTheme.querySelector('i');\n\n        btnTheme.addEventListener('click', () => {\n            const currentTheme = document.body.getAttribute('data-theme');\n            if (currentTheme === 'dark') {\n                document.body.removeAttribute('data-theme');\n                btnText.textContent = themeLabels[0];\n                iconTheme.className = 'fa-solid fa-moon';\n            } else {\n                document.body.setAttribute('data-theme', 'dark');\n                btnText.textContent = themeLabels[1];\n                iconTheme.className = 'fa-solid fa-sun';\n            }\n        });\n\n        \/\/ \u0627\u0644\u062a\u062d\u0643\u0645 \u0628\u062d\u062c\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u062e\u0637\n        let currentFontSize = 20;\n        const btnFontDec = document.getElementById('btn-font-dec');\n        const btnFontReset = document.getElementById('btn-font-reset');\n        const btnFontInc = document.getElementById('btn-font-inc');\n\n        btnFontDec.addEventListener('click', () => {\n            if (currentFontSize > 16) {\n                currentFontSize -= 2;\n                document.body.style.fontSize = currentFontSize + 'px';\n            }\n        });\n\n        btnFontReset.addEventListener('click', () => {\n            currentFontSize = 20;\n            document.body.style.fontSize = currentFontSize + 'px';\n        });\n\n        btnFontInc.addEventListener('click', () => {\n            if (currentFontSize < 28) {\n                currentFontSize += 2;\n                document.body.style.fontSize = currentFontSize + 'px';\n            }\n        });\n\n        \/\/ \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0646\u0642\u0644 \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0647\u0631\u0633\n        function scrollToSection(id) {\n            const el = document.getElementById(id);\n            if (el) el.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'start' });\n        }\n\n        \/\/ \u0634\u0631\u064a\u0637 \u062a\u0642\u062f\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0631\u0627\u0621\u0629\n        window.addEventListener('scroll', () => {\n            const winScroll = document.body.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollTop;\n            const height = document.documentElement.scrollHeight - document.documentElement.clientHeight;\n            const scrolled = (winScroll \/ height) * 100;\n            document.getElementById('reading-progress').style.width = scrolled + '%';\n        });\n\n        \/\/ \u062a\u0623\u062b\u064a\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0635\u0648\u0631 (IntersectionObserver)\n        const imageContainers = document.querySelectorAll('.image-container');\n        if ('IntersectionObserver' in window) {\n            const imageObserver = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => {\n                entries.forEach(entry => {\n                    if (entry.isIntersecting) {\n                        entry.target.classList.add('in-view');\n                    }\n                });\n            }, { threshold: 0.1, rootMargin: \"0px 0px -50px 0px\" });\n\n            imageContainers.forEach(el => imageObserver.observe(el));\n        } else {\n            imageContainers.forEach(el => el.classList.add('in-view'));\n        }\n\n    <\/script>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Architecture of Silence: When Self-Censorship Becomes a Substitute \u201cCriminal Contract\u201d Social Accountability Association &#8230; <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2989"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2993,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2989\/revisions\/2993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/accountability.tn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}