We received a large package from the Tunisian Embassy in Washington on Friday. The package contained an official response to our September special report, “The Smiling Oppressor” ( In french ) and a hefty collection of Tunisian newspapers and individual articles that the government says demonstrates a “liberal and pluralistic media landscape” under President Zine El Abidine’s 21-year rule. Our report was highly critical of the Tunisian government’s repressive press policies.
“I would like to seize this opportunity, at a moment coinciding with Tunisia celebrating 21 years of continuous, steady, and comprehensive reforms in all fields, to highlight the firm and irreversible commitment of my country to further anchor democracy, political pluralism and expand the scope of participation of all stakeholders at the national level,”
wrote Tarek Ben Youssef, chargé d’affaires at the Tunisian embassy.
Joel Simon, our executive director, wrote back on Monday, saying that we found nothing in the response to change our findings. We regretted Tunisian officials would not agree to meet with us when we were conducting our fact-finding mission in late June and early July.
Our research shows that President Ben Ali, who celebrated his regime’s 21st anniversary this month, has employed some of the most restrictive press tactics in the Arab world, including harassment, censorship, and imprisonment of journalists.
Those tactics continue to be used. This passage comes from our most recent alert, issued November 7:
In September, plainclothes security agents abducted Slim Boukhdhir, an online writer and critic of Ben Ali. Agents held him for two hours, threatened him, and directed him to stop his work. Boukhdhir had just written an online piece urging Ben Ali to follow the advice of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and loosen the state’s grip on civil society. Authorities had harassed Boukhdhir in the past, jailing him for several months earlier in the year.
In October, the public prosecutor issued a court summons to Neziha Rejiba, editor of the online magazine Kalima and one of the country’s most critical journalists. In a piece for the weekly Mouatinoun, Rejiba accused the government of being behind the recent destruction of her Web site. The summons could be a precursor to criminal charges. Authorities also seized the entire issue of Mouatinoun.
Although the situation in Tunisia remains very poor, Simon noted that CPJ remains receptive to a meeting with government officials to discuss our concerns about press freedom.
By Mariwan Hama-Saeed/Middle East Research Associate
From CPJ Blog
It`s obvious that Tunisia has been going through enormous changes since 1987. Yet, democray is still on its way. Civil rights have to be enhanced, and citizens must have more various horizins.
Hi,
I must disagree with Stevsnson. I’m just returning from a short visit to Southern Tunisia. 10 years ago women could wear a swimsuit on the beach,today they ALL bathe fully clothed. Were is the democracy or may be there is a different democracy for women?
Regards,
JB
Mister Stevenson;
In witch planet do you live in…?
Did you travel through the country “Tunisia?”
And did you pay attention or count how many check points of police or garde nationales; you have to go or pass thru while you are travelling in your car. For example, take only the distance between Gabes and Medenine or Djerba; you will meet between seven and nine. Especially at night you‘ll be stopped or you have to slow down and wait to be given the signal by the officer that’s o.k., to continue your journey… That‘s the freedom of circulation or movement in a democratic independent country of a Police State…
Bottom line; if anyone of us observe carefully; the conclusion will be that the country of Tunisia is under a permanent State of Siege…
L’humanist