Despite the Tunisian civil society’s efforts to push towards ratifying Rights and Principles for Preserving Law and Constitution Bill, in order to regulate the relationship between the three powers, and while the state issued the equal inheritance law, taking other measures which are highly evaluated by civil society, yet, Tunisia is facing problems in freedom of expression.

Violations against press and journalists, banning media workers are continuing along with measures taken by security forces to hinder demonstrations, using violence against peaceful demonstrators, which led to the death of one citizen and the suicide of a journalist in protest of economic crisis. Moreover, security forces arrested hundreds of demonstrators, using “war on terror” as a pretext to pursuit activists and bloggers, trying them in front of military courts. Adding to this, a defaming and threatening campaign was launched against journalists, as they received rape threats, not to mention the Interior Minister open statements in which he confessed that media workers are under surveillance.

The following are examples of violations of freedom of expression and press in Tunisia in 2018.

Violations Against Journalists and Media Workers

• Rushdi al Jaray, a journalist and a reporter for  “Aswat Magharibia” program, al-Hurra TV channel, received threats from security forces, on the 27th of January 2018. He was also banned from press coverage, his ID and mobile were confiscated in order to prevent him from covering clashes between demonstrators and security forces, taking place during a protest against austerity policy, in Borqaiba Street.
• Khalil Zroq, a journalist working in “Al-Hewar al-Tunsi” Channel, was arrested on the 29th of January while covering protests against austerity and high prices. He was later investigated and released.
• Interior Minister, Lotfi Barahem, on the 1st of February, appeared before the parliament Security and Defense Committee, in a hearing session and confessed that all journalists’ phone lines are tapped. He mentioned surveillance of phone calls between a reporter and a detainee during protests against the new financial bill on the 14th of January. Nevertheless, it was not the minister who was held accountable against breaching privacy, rather it was the reporter who was investigated and released later.
• The spokesman of local security forces syndicate, Nour al-Din al Ghattassi, posted on his Facebook account calling for “raping” male journalists in response to “Journalist’s Anger”, a protesting event, organized by Journalists Syndicate, objecting the Interior Minister confessions of monitoring journalists. The Journalist Syndicate submitted a complaint against al Ghattassi who was investigated and released.
• On the 28th of February, anonymous persons attacked the crew of the “al Watania” channel as they were preparing a report concerning the high price of popular cars in Tunisia. The unknown persons have beaten the cameraman, Anwar al Maghzawi, journalist Ayman al Rabie and tried to break the camera.
• Security forces investigated Hamdi al Talili, “France 24” reporter, illegally in his house. Security individuals, wearing civil costumes, with no legal permission to search the house or investigate the journalist, tried to know the sources that provide Talili with information about corruption, smuggling, and terrorism.
• On the 5th of April, unknown individuals kidnapped Moldi al Zawabi’s 12 years old son, a journalist in Tunisia Africa News, which is considered an unprecedented act. The child was found 12 days later on the border between Jandoba and Baha states, by citizens who reported the incident to the security units. The kidnappers interrogated the child about his father’s political activities and threatened him to kill his parents.
• A security individual physically attacked Rami Haytham al Mahdi, reporter in Olice Radio and al Zaytona TV channel. The reporter was transferred to al Sadeq al Moqadam Hospital, in Bojrba. The medical report advised him to rest for 5 days.

A security individual tried to prevent Rami from attending a journalism session, the situation escalated and the security individual physically attacked the journalist pushing him into a police car, but the journalist’s colleagues interfered to rescue him.

• On the second of November, Mona al Bouazizi, a journalist in al Shorouq paper, appeared before the public prosecution for accusations of publishing false news to perplex public opinion, on the background of her statement concerning the corruption of a parliament member who was a mayor, on Nasma TV channel.

Mona was investigated before the detective unit of the public prosecution for publishing information linked to 5 terrorist cases, two of them are connected to a businessman, while the rest are linked to two terrorist attacks. She was released pending investigations.

Mona al Bouazizi received threats from terrorists for her articles associated with security and war on terror.

• On the 22nd of November, al Zaytona TV channel crew underwent an attack from some participants who shared in a gathering organized by the General Unity of Labor, in Bardo Square, protesting low salaries and austerity measures to fulfill the Monetary Fund conditions. The crew filed a complaint against undergoing violence and breaking their cameras.
• The draft law of “Audio and Video media” was passed by the parliament and sent to the president to ratify it. Yet, activists, observers, and organizations consider it as a threat to all gains in the field of freedom of expression and press, demanding to guarantee the independence and transparency of this body.

Banning demonstrations and group expression of opinion

• In the seventh anniversary of Jasmin revolution, 11 January 2018, a citizen deceased during clashes between security forces and demonstrators in the capital, while protesting against high prices and ratifying new taxes to meet the Monetary Fund conditions.
• Security forces arrested around 780 on the 13th of January, during 5 days after demonstrations burst out protesting austerity measures. Later they were released after the termination of protests in February, according to the Interior Ministry spokesman.
• On the 14th of January, security forces arrested a number of leftist activists. On the 2nd of February, a number of the Popular Front members demonstrated in front of Qafsa court, south Tunisia, demanding the immediate release of three party figures, and they are: Habib Tabassi, field coordinator for Labor Party, Jamal Sheishaa, General Clerk of Labor Unity, and member of Labor Party, Talal Tabassi. They were released on the same day pending investigations.
• On the 14th of January, security forces arrested dozens of the members of “What are we waiting for?” campaign, as they are considered the ones behind the demonstrations protesting high prices and austerity measures in Tunisia. Eventually, demonstrations continued all over Tunisia on the 15th and 16th of January, protesting security forces practices. Security forces used extreme violence against the protesters causing dozens of casualties and arrests. The detainees were released on the 2nd of February.

On the same 2nd Feb, the interior ministry sieged a march in solidarity with the Lebanese prisoner in a French prison, George Abdullah, during Macron’s visit to the Tunisian Atiqa city. Security forces stopped the march in Borqieba Street, arresting Hamid al Mazoghi, one of the protesters. Mazoghi was to appear before the public prosecution, facing accusations of bringing down the flag of a foreign country. He was released a day later.

• On the 7th of March, a number of unemployed young people, who organized a sit-in in sites of extracting phosphate in al Qafsa governorate, central Tunisia, were arrested for protesting against not employing them. They were released by the prosecution after facing accusations of disrupting traffic and assaulting authorities.
• On the 17th of May, security forces in Jalma, Seidy Bozeid province, attacked peasants and population who refused to operate one of the wells in “al Swayba” district. Security forces used teargas and blackjacks to disperse protesters, causing dozens of casualties. In a protest to the immense use of violence, the Labor Unity in Seidy Bozeid announced a general strike which continued for one day.

 

Violations against Bloggers and Political Forces

• Qays al Bouazizi, a blogger and an activist, was arrested in Seidy Bozeid on the 14th of January. He was investigated and detained for 3 days and then he was released, on the background of publishing a number of posts on his Facebook account calling for demonstrating against the government to protest high prices and austerity.
• For five days, starting from the 5th of September to the 10th, the police summoned Tarek al Ghamri, al Moatamar Party member, three times, referring him to public prosecution to investigate posts on his Facebook account among the campaign of “where is the oil” protesting corruption. The prosecution investigated him and released him pending investigations.
• On the 7th of September, police forces arrested Yomn al Salmi, a blogger and activist, transcending judiciary procedures, accusing him of joining a terrorist group and publishing fanatic posts. While the prosecution preserved the case on the 9th of September without accusing him of any crimes.
• On the 13th of September, the primary court issued a rule of two months imprisonment against Amina Mansour, a blogger and activist, for posting on her Facebook account information accusing Custom Authority of corruption.
• On the first of November, the military court ruled to imprison  Yassin al Ayari, PM and blogger, for insulting the military forces on the background of a post on his Facebook account. Al Ayari appealed the verdict and the case was postponed to be considered on the 6th of December.