31 May 2010

Alert

CPJ condemns police harassment of journalist Taoufik Ben Brik


Incident details

Death threat

Taoufik Ben Brik, Journalist

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English عربي
(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, May 28, 2010 - The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged that Tunisian police verbally abused and threatened journalist Taoufik Ben Brik, a well-known contributor to French newspapers and one of the country's top critics of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. CPJ calls on the Tunisian authorities to end the campaign of intimidation and harassment against the journalist.

Ben Brik wrote on French news Web site Rue89 that a group of policemen stopped him outside of his home on Wednesday morning as he was leaving for a doctor's appointment. He was subjected to verbal abuse and threats. "Where do you think you are going?" one of the police officers asked. "You have nowhere to hide; the day will come when we will kill you." The journalist returned home, missing his appointment.

"We condemn the threats made against Taoufik Ben Brik," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director. "His persecution has been relentless and is part of a larger pattern of harassment of independent journalists in Tunisia that must end."

Ben Brik was released from prison in April after serving a six-month sentence on trumped-up charges of assault, property damage, defamation, and violating public morality.

Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
 

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More on this case

Taoufik Ben Brik's son harassed and threatened by police officers 14 December 2010 TMG welcomes release of journalist Ben Brik but condemns policy of punishing critical journalists 28 April 2010 Critical journalist's appeal rejected 3 February 2010 Imprisoned journalist's health deteriorating, family launches hunger strike 8 January 2010 Authorities mistreating imprisoned journalist 15 December 2009 Journalist Taoufik Ben Brik sentenced to six months in prison with no parole 27 November 2009 Ailing journalist faces three years in prison 3 November 2009 Journalist kidnapped and beaten in brutal attack, another arrested 30 October 2009

Tunisia

Judicial confusion puts press freedom in peril 14 May 2012 Clashes erupt outside national TV station after talk of privatizing state media 26 April 2012 Police attack journalists covering protest 11 April 2012 Seven-year prison terms handed down for mockery of Islam 9 April 2012 Al Jazeera journalist expelled from meeting, attacked 27 March 2012 See all alerts: Tunisia


 
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