There is a report that the Tunisian government of President Kais Saied began a crackdown on anyone deemed to be his opponent, arresting activists such as Saadia Mosbah and France 24 cameraman Hamdi Tlili. Among those in custody was attorney Sonia Dahmani.
Tlili was freed without being charged, but writer Mourad Zeghidi and radio journalist Borhen Bsaies were detained pending trial on grounds of distributing false information and compromising national security in violation of cybercrime laws. The lawyer for Bsaies emphasised that there was insufficient proof to connect his client to these accusations.
The government’s oppressive methods must end, according to Reporters Without Borders, which denounced the arrests. These events highlight a worrying trend in Tunisia under President Saied’s leadership, where political arrests have increased significantly, raising extreme concerns.
The European Union issued a statement on Tuesday in a rare rebuke of Tunisian authorities, calling the arrests worrisome.
“Freedoms of expression and association, as well as the independence of the judiciary, are guaranteed by the Tunisian Constitution and constitute the basis of our partnership,” it said in its statement.
Also on Tuesday, The General Union of Journalists on said the law being used is wrong and to stifle freedom of expression and called it “a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of journalists.”
Since 2022, authorities have been pursuing well-known political opponents using a contentious cybercrime statute known as Decree 54, which led to the most recent arrests. A growing chorus of organizations denounced the bill and the arrests, including the largest labour union in the nation and its affiliate that represents journalists.
1 Comment
Pingback: Tunisia Sets Date for Presidential Election, October 6 - Mbamali