IFJ calls on Tunisian president to stop prosecution of journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) sent an open letter to President of the Republic Kais Saied, asking him to uphold the Constitution, protect press freedom, and to ensure the immediate release of Zied El Heni and other journalists that are behind bars. The IFJ further expressed its deepest concern at the frequent imprisonment of journalists, in total contravention of the provisions of the Tunisian Constitution in respect of freedom of expression and the media. "We are mindful that this is a time when Tunisia is celebrating the anniversary of the revolution of December 17, 2010 - January 14, 2011, when Tunisians rose up against corruption and tyranny." "The arrest of journalist Zied El Heni and his imprisonment pending trial have fundamentally undermined the guarantees provided by the Tunisian constitution, laws and international agreements that the country has signed within the framework of the protection of journalists. Furthermore, it has opened the door to flagrant violations of law and procedure that could expose him to a full two-year prison sentence," the IFJ pointed out. The federation further indicated that more than 30 journalists were arrested in 2023 alone, using the provisions of Decree 54, of the Telecommunications Code and the Law on Combating Terrorism and Money Laundering. "Zied El Heni's case is not an isolated one, but clearly indicates the existence of a systematic policy of instrumentalising legal procedures and the judicial system to systematically intimidate, bully and imprison journalists." "This situation is arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional, and threatens to transform Tunisia, an Arab and international model for the protection of freedoms in practice and legislation, into one big prison for journalists," the letter reads. The injustice inflicted on our colleague Zied El Heni comes on top of the even more serious violations inflicted on our colleague Khelifa El Guesmi , who was imprisoned by the terrorist section of the Tunisian court with the heaviest sentence in the history of journalism in the country, five years, for the alleged crime that he published an accurate press article using information that he obtained from an official security source, the IFJ said. The unjust and arbitrary detention of our colleague Chadha Haj Mbarek, on trial since September 2021 for allegedly plotting against the internal security of the State, continues despite the fact that Tunisian law guarantees her trial in a state of freedom. "This is a clear abuse of power and violation of procedures." The IFJ further inidcated that all the cases mentioned above will have negative repercussions on freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Tunisia, and on the public's right to know. They all undermine the rules and ethics of professional journalists, able to do their work free from domination by authoritarian centers of political and financial influence. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse