Tunisia Considers Outlawing Mocking of Religion

Law could lead to two-year prison sentence.

A bill to criminalise offences against "sacred values," filed in parliament this week by Tunisia's ruling Islamist party Ennahda threatens freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch warned on Friday.

"The draft bill would provide prison terms and fines for broadly worded offenses such as insulting or mocking the 'sanctity of religion,'" the rights group said.

International human rights law generally prohibits criminalising the defamation of religion, the New York-based watchdog added.