At a glance
members working in this country
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Spring into Winter? Fragile achievements and exceptional challenges for Tunisian free expression defenders
IFEX-TMG report outlines status of freedom of expression and association as well as judicial independence
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Attacks on the Press in 2011: Tunisia
"Facebook played a pivotal role in galvanizing the public outrage that culminated in the ouster of Ben Ali"
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Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: Tunisia
Fall of Ben Ali regime leads to media pluralism and end of internet filtering
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World Report 2012: Tunisia
Religious protestors attack TV station after screening of animated film Persepolis and storm theatre screening documentary on atheism
19 October 2009
Alert
IFJ condemns assault on union activist
Incident details
Assault
Zied El Heni, JournalistBan
Hanane Belaifa, JournalistIn particular, the IFJ condemned the beating up of Zied El Heni, journalist for the daily Assahafa, that took place yesterday in Tunis. His blog, Tunisian journalist, was also shut down for the 22nd time by the authorities.
El Heni is a board member of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate (SNJT) which has been the subject of an internal crisis over the summer that saw the organization of a rival leadership at a hotly disputed extraordinary congress.
In a related incident, Hanane Belaifa, journalist at Radio-Jeunes was barred from access to the station. Belaifa is a prominent syndicate activist who had helped organize demonstrations for the regularization of employment contracts at the state radio and outspoken supporter of the ousted SNJT board. The SNJT says she is being targeted for her union work.
"The attack on El Heni is an intolerable attack on a prominent journalist and leading advocate for independent journalism," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "The simultaneous closure of his blog is clear evidence of political pressure and suggests that this unknown assailant was not acting alone."
El Heni recently took part in an IFJ regional meeting in Amman where the SNJT protested at the campaign to change the leadership following the publication of a press freedom report critical of the government and by their refusal to endorse sitting President Ben Ali in national elections due to take place on 25 October.
On his return from Amman, El Heni was strip searched at Tunis airport and all his documents, including IFJ publications, were seized.
Other independent journalists have come under pressure for their union activism, including some working for the newspapers Assabah, and Al Khabir, according to the SNJT.
Source:
- Most covered free expression issues in this country
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