Rights 226

Opening Legislation and Public Perception to Whistleblowers, Muckrakers, Principled Leakers in Tunisia

As it is theoretically and practically in the best interest of civil society and government authorities of a democratic society that citizens are vocal and active in the name of transparency and accountability, practices in the vein of whistleblowing, muckraking, and ‘principled leaking’ are not to be condemned but supported, the responsibles of exposing information previously undisclosed at the expense of the common good not persecuted but protected by the law.

Tunisia: Student Marwa Maalawi sentenced to three months of jail for using a derogatory word

On Wednesday October 9th, 2013, the 20- year old student Marwa Maalawi was sentenced to 3 months of jail on charge of addressing women’s minister Sihem Badi with derogatory word. On the 27th of March, 2013, student Marwa raised a sign in a protest in front of the ministry of women on which she wrote: “In the era of terrorist Ennahdha, a chaste woman is raped because her minister is a whore.”

OpenGovTN meeting exposes the need for pragmatic action to ensure transparency

Following a mostly online presence, a few members and supporters of the Tunisian OpenGov initiative gathered last night, March 10, 2012, at Nawaat’s Hackerspace – a community meeting space created by Nawaat to facilitate the exchange of ideas and resources – a perfect space for OpenGovTN to meet. OpenGovTN, an initiative that was launched some months ago, aims to institutionalize the concepts of open governance, open data, and transparency in a new Tunisia on all governmental fronts […]

Tunisia arrests young rapper after online protest song

Anis Mrabti, (aka Volcanis le Roi), a 27 year old Tunisian Rapper has been arrested on Wednesday january 25, 2012 around 2 pm at his home in El Mourouj neighborhood in Tunis. According to his parents, 6 allegedly plain-clothes police officers broke into the house without showing their police badges or any warrant and asked the young Anis, who was at that time behind his computer, if he was the rapper behind the song “Shay Ma Tbaddel” (Nothing has Changed). When he confirmed, they took him and confiscated his computer and MP3 players without giving any further details to Anis’ parents who were choked by this brutal arrest.