Dozens of Tunisian journalists and human rights defenders gathered outside the headquarters of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists on Friday, staging a demonstration against what they describe as a sustained campaign of intimidation targeting independent media and reporters critical of the Kais Saied administration.
The protest, organised under the banner ‘Defend the Pen,’ drew journalists from both state-affiliated and independent outlets, a notable show of unity in a country where the media landscape has become increasingly polarised since Saied’s consolidation of power in 2021.
Among the specific grievances raised was the continued detention of at least three journalists arrested in the past six months on charges ranging from ‘spreading false information’ to ‘undermining state security.’ Rights groups say the charges are routinely applied to silence reporting on corruption, economic hardship, and migration policies.
Tunisia was once regarded as the only success story of the 2011 Arab Spring. But since Saied dissolved parliament in 2021 and rewrote the constitution to concentrate executive power, the space for critical journalism has narrowed dramatically.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights issued a statement expressing concern over the ‘persistent targeting of media workers’ in Tunisia.
Reporters Without Borders now places Tunisia 118th out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index, down from 72nd in 2021.
‘When journalists are afraid to write the truth, society loses its immune system,’ said Olfa Riahi, a prominent Tunisian investigative journalist.
The protest ended with a delegation submitting a formal petition to the Presidency, demanding the immediate release of detained journalists, the abolition of criminal libel provisions, and the reconstitution of the Media Authority along independent lines.
