The nation prohibits access not only to opposition websites and sites run by critical exiles, but also such popular sites as YouTube and Daily Motion as banned due to their hosting of videos documenting prison abuse in Tunisia. Further, the nation’s employs sophisticated blocking devices that allows Tunisians to access, say, the New York Times or the BBC, but bans pages critical of the regime.
Freedom of Speech 29
Interview with Robert Guerra about the Freedom on the Net Index
A new report on Internet freedom was launched by Freedom House, an organization which monitors freedom around the world. The “Freedom on the Net” study surveyed 15 countries on the basis of two key components: access to Web and mobile technology and the free flow of information through it. The report covered events that took place in the years 2007 and 2008, identifying new emerging threats to Internet freedom.
Freedom on the Net Index: Tunisia ranked worst, behind Cuba
Since traditional media are censored and tightly controlled by the government, the internet has been used as a relatively free and uncensored means of airing political and social opinions, and as an alternative field for public debates on serious political issues. This uncontrolled freedom of expression has led to the creation of an extensive censorship and filtering system.
البلوغرز… عدو النظام (العربي) رقم واحد
لم تعد الرقابة هي نفسها في العالم العربي. مع انتشار المدوّنات، بدأت السلطة توجّه سهامها إلى «البلوغرز»، فتحجب مواقعهم وتخطفهم وتعذّبهم… وتقف بالمرصاد لكلّ مَن تسوّل له نفسه «تهديد الأمن القومي» و«بثّ شائعات عن النظام». تمرّ المَشاهد سريعاً. لا يستطيع المُتصفّح تمييز كلّ تفاصيلها. لكنّ العمليّة واضحة: رجال شرطة يعرّون أحد المواطنين. يقيّدونه ويغتصبونه بـ… قنينة مشروبات!
Tunisian president calls criticism “unbecoming”
During his address to the nation on the anniversary of Tunisia’s independence on March 20, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali did not hesitate to reject critical journalism and the right of journalists to cover corruption or mistakes by the government. As customary, local groups concerned with press freedom, including the Tunisian Observatory for Press Freedom and the Tunisian Journalists’ Syndicate, hesitated
CPJ presses Tunisia on poor press freedom record
The Committee to Protect Journalists urges you on the eve of the 53rd anniversary of Tunisia’s independence from France to end an ongoing cycle of repression of critical journalists and media outlets. We ask that you abide by the commitment you have made repeatedly since coming to power in 1987 to promote freedom of expression. The last time […]
Tunisia’s bloggers defy state censors
Foreign tourists know Tunisia for its sunny beaches, ancient ruins and one of the Arab world’s most liberal societies. But for Tunisians, life is a daily tiptoe through a minefield of political taboos enforced by a vast security apparatus and heavily censored media. Now the country’s drive to embrace the internet is giving Tunisians an unexected new outlet to challenge authority.
Tunisia responds to critical CPJ report
We received a large package from the Tunisian Embassy in Washington on Friday. The package contained an official response to […]
Fighting for press freedom in Tunisia
Every once in a while you run across people whose courage makes you ask of yourself if you would act […]
قمة أصوات عالمية ببودابست: بإتجاه حركة دولية لمناهضة الحجب
حضر المؤتمر أكثر من 200 مدون وناشط أنترنت من شتى أنحاء العالم ممثلين القارات الخمس و تمت تغطية الحدث على عدد من الصحف و المواقع المجلات العالمية كمجلة الإكونومست وصحيفة البايس الإسبانية. و يعد هذا المؤتمر الأول من نوعه من حيث حضور ممثلين عن الأركان الأربعة لحركة مناهضة الحجب و الرقابة في العالم: أكادميين و باحثين من مراكز دراسات
The Keyboard Revolution
The Keyboard Revolution started in 2005 by a group of Tunisians activists to protest against the hijack of Tunisia’s constitution, in order to allow the brutal dictatorial regime to stay in power for life!
