Themes Nawaat 17 August 2008

Tunisian Government Faces Growing Dissent in Mining Region

The Gafsa revolt alone epitomizes Tunisia’s many ills: youth unemployment, extreme poverty in the peripheral regions of the country, nepotism, government infiltration of labour union organizations, a lack of any room for free expression and representation (both labour union as well as political), and finally a security approach to all protests.

Themes CPJ 13 August 2008

Tunisia Caucus Co-Chair Calls Despot Moderate and Wise

Only a handful of Internet publications and small-circulation opposition papers have attempted to seriously criticize the government or hold it accountable. But journalists writing for these outlets have been placed under surveillance, assaulted by plainclothes police, had their phone and Internet lines cut, and been prevented from leaving the country.

Themes Amnesty International 06 August 2008

Tunisia: torturing detainees

In spite of this, Tunisia is not widely perceived as a country in which serious human rights violations are committed. Indeed, during a state visit to the country in April 2008, French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised the Tunisian government’s efforts in fighting terrorism and declared that “the sphere of liberties” in the country was improving.

Themes Nawaat 21 July 2008

Tunisie : Libération Du journaliste Slim Boukhdir

Reporters sans frontières a exprimé son soulagement à l’annonce de la libération, le 21 juillet 2008, de Slim Boukhdir, intervenue quatre mois avant le terme de sa peine. Le journaliste indépendant a souffert de conditions de détention très difficiles à la prison civile de Sfax (230 km au sud de Tunis), où il était incarcéré depuis le 26 novembre 2007.