Liberté de la Presse 25
Rights La rédaction 20 December 2025

Criminalizing Dissent: Six Stories from Tunisia’s Political and Media Crackdown

Tunisia’s political and media landscape has changed drastically since 2021, with expanded use of criminal law against journalists, opposition figures, and commentators critical of authorities. This article presents the profiles of six individuals targeted within the scope of the government’s crackdown on dissidence: journalist Chadha Hadj Mbarek, media commentator Mourad Zeghidi, opposition politician Issam Chebbi, party leader Abir Moussi, young journalist and political activist Siwar Bargaoui, and lawyer–politician Ghazi Chaouachi.

Politics Hatem Nafti 05 December 2024

Kais Saied cracks down, cementing second term in office

Kais Saied was reelected as Tunisia’s president in the first round of elections. His Soviet-like score of 90.69% must not obscure record voter abstention rates: more than 7 out of 10 Tunisians—and more than 94% of Tunisian youth—did not turn out to vote. While there is no evidence that massive fraud took place on election day, the entire electoral process was marked by repressive tactics aiming to cement Saied’s second term in office. Recap of the past election year and the crackdown which ensured the outgoing president’s victory at the polls.

Media Nawaat 28 April 2016

Arab NGOs Warn against “Regional Media Freedom Mechanism” Project under the umbrella of the Arab League

Les organisations arabes des droits humains soussignées, dénoncent l’obstination de la Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) à aller de l’avant, conjointement avec l’Union des journalistes arabes, dans l’établissement d’un « Mécanisme régional spécial pour la liberté d’information dans le monde arabe », sous le parapluie de la Ligue des États arabes.

Media Vanessa Szakal 09 June 2014

Tunisia: Harmonizing Politics and Media for and before the Elections

As much as instruments to monitor and ensure transparency and the constitutional operation of state powers and processes, the HAICA and the ISIE are, just several months into their roles, equally accountable for their own transparency and constitutional operation. The next six months will not only measure their competency and capacity to fulfill this dual responsability but will more generally decide the nature and successfulness of elections and the direction of the country through and beyond the transition period.

Media La rédaction 05 December 2013

Les photos de la 6e édition du Forum WAN-IFRA de la presse arabe.

Voici les photos de la dernière édition du Forum WAN-IFRA de la presse Arabe, ayant eu lieu du 24 au 26 novembre 2013. Au-delà de l’objet même du Forum, c’est l’une de ces rares occasions durant lesquelles se réunissent quelques-uns parmi ceux qui ont à cœur le devenir de la profession ainsi que son indépendance. Derrière ce combat pour la liberté de la presse, il y a d’abord des femmes et des hommes, mais également des ONGs qui font un travail forçant le respect depuis des années…

Themes Sana Sbouaï 17 July 2012

Tunisia: The hijacking of free radio

Gone are the days of a few radio stations flooding the airwaves with the same information and press releases, broadcast in loop, providing listeners with one way of looking at things. Since the revolution, we’ve seen the launch of 12 new radio stations. And since such diversity allows for a more democratic management of the airwaves, it would seem logical that everything be done to help them continue to broadcast.

Themes CPJ 20 March 2009

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 […]