Tunisia’s media, one of the most muzzled in the Arab world, reported for the first time a couple weeks ago that a high-ranking U.S. official had raised the issue of reform with the country’s autocratic ruler, who is also a zealous supporter of President George W. Bush’s war on terror. The official was Secretary of…
Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali enjoys strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress. Members cite the country’s friendship with the United States, often without casting a critical eye on the country’s press freedom and human rights record. Here is a sampling of remarks by members of Congress.
On July 21, CPJ welcomed the release of Tunisian Internet journalist Slim Boukhdhir from prison. A contributor to Tunisian and Arab news Web sites, Boukhdhir was serving a one-year term in Sfax Prison because he had written articles critical of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the country’s first family. CPJ sent a mission…
New York, July 21, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release from jail on Monday of Tunisian Internet journalist Slim Boukhdhir, who had been held for eight months after writing articles critical of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the first family. CPJ conducted a fact-finding mission to Tunisia earlier this month as…
Tunis, Tunisia, July 2, 2008—Jailed Tunisian journalist Slim Boukhdir should be freed immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today as it concluded a 10-day fact-finding mission that examined the government’s pattern of silencing the independent press through harassment, intimidation, and imprisonment. Boukhdir, a contributor to numerous Tunisian and Arab news Web sites, is serving…
Tunisia: New York, April 21, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the Tunisian government’s increasing harassment of the opposition weekly Al-Mawkif. Over the past month, Tunisian authorities have prevented distribution of 4 issues of Al-Mawkif, published since 1984 by the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). The paper has been targeted by a…
Under the Radar, a New Kind of RepressionBy Joel Campagna On a Wednesday afternoon last June, Yemeni security agents stormed the home of outspoken editor Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani and dragged him before a State Security Court in the capital, Sana’a. A prosecutor questioned al-Khaiwani and later rang him up on charges of belonging to a secret…