Tunisia / Middle East & North Africa

  
An image of journalists Borhen Bssais (left) and Mourad Zghidi (right).

Tunis court sentences 2 journalists to 1 year in prison, prevents hearing coverage

New York, May 23, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release radio journalists Borhen Bssais and Mourad Zghidi after a Tunis court convicted them on May 22 of defamation and spreading false news, and sentenced them to one year in prison. “CPJ is deeply concerned that…

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Tunisia police arrest journalist Houssem Hajlaoui over social media posts amid crackdown

New York, May 20, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Houssem Hajlaoui, co-founder and publisher of local independent news website Inkyfada, who was arrested over social media posts from 2020-2023. “CPJ is deeply concerned after Tunisian police arrested journalist Houssem Hajlaoui over old social media…

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Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer and political affairs commentator. (Screenshot: Elhiwar Ettounsi/YouTube)

Tunisian police arrest 5 journalists, interrupt France 24’s broadcast amid crackdown

New York, May 15, 2024 — Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalists Sonia Dahmani, Borhen Bssais, and Mourad Zghidi, drop all charges against them, and stop preventing reporters from doing their jobs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Between May 11 and 13, Tunisian police arrested and released two additional journalists amid…

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Tunisian journalist Mohamed Boughaleb sentenced to 6 months in prison for defamation

New York, April 18, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohamed Boughaleb after he was convicted by a Tunis court of defamation and sentenced to six months in prison on Wednesday. “The sentencing of journalist Mohamed Boughaleb to six months in prison over social media posts…

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Tunisian authorities arrest, charge journalist Mohamed Boughaleb

New York, April 3, 2024—Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohamed Boughaleb and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Boughaleb, a reporter with local independent channel Carthage Plus and local independent radio station Cap FM, was arrested by Tunisian police on March 22 and charged with “defaming…

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Al-Jazeera journalist Samir Sassi arrested on undisclosed charges in Tunisia

New York, January 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Tunisian authorities arrested journalist Samir Sassi and calls for his immediate and unconditional release. On Wednesday, January 3, police raided and searched the home of Sassi, a reporter at Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera, in the capital Tunis and arrested him, according to…

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Tunisian journalist Zied el-Heni was recently arrested for allegedly insulting the president. (Screenshot: YouTube/IFM)

Tunisian journalist Zied el-Heni arrested after criticizing commerce minister

New York, January 2, 2024—Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Zied el-Heni and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On December 28, police arrested el-Heni, a prominent columnist and political commentator for the daily “Émission Impossible” show on the independent radio station IFM, after he responded to…

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Tunisian authorities jail journalist Khalifa Guesmi over national security charge

New York, September 5, 2023—CPJ has called on Tunisian authorities to release journalist Khalifa Guesmi, who was taken into custody on Sunday to serve his five-year prison sentence on charges of disclosing national security information.  “The September 3 arrest of journalist Khalifa Guesmi is a clear attack on journalists and the freedom of the press…

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Tunisian journalist Zied el-Heni was recently arrested for allegedly insulting the president. (Screenshot: YouTube/IFM)

Tunisian authorities arrest journalist Zied el-Heni for allegedly insulting president

New York, June 21, 2023 – Tunisian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Zied el-Heni, the Committee to Protect journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, June 20, plainclothes security officers arrested el-Heni, a prominent columnist and political commentator for the daily online radio show “Émission Impossible” on the independent radio station IFM, according to news…

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Tunisian court increases prison sentence for journalist Khalifa Guesmi from 1 to 5 years

New York, May 18, 2023 – Tunisian authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalist Khalifa Guesmi and ensure he is not imprisoned for his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, May 16, an appeals court in Tunis sentenced Guesmi, a correspondent for the local independent radio station and news website Mosaique…

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