(IFEX-TMG) – The following is a 1 March 2007 IFEX-TMG press release: Mohammed Abbou Day: TMG delegation blocked and intimidated at prison gates Earlier today, the members of the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) delegation visiting Tunisia (27 February – 4 March 2007) were physically prevented from accessing the street of the prison of the town […]
(IFEX-TMG) – The following is a 1 March 2007 IFEX-TMG press release:
Mohammed Abbou Day: TMG delegation blocked and intimidated at prison gates
Earlier today, the members of the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) delegation visiting Tunisia (27 February – 4 March 2007) were physically prevented from accessing the street of the prison of the town of Le Kef (170 km south-west of Tunis), where human rights lawyer and writer Mohammed Abbou is jailed, by men who refused to identify themselves. A second, more distant, circle of men were taking pictures and openly staring at the members of the TMG delegation, thus creating a tense atmosphere. Members of the TMG delegation were prevented from taking pictures by the same men, most likely plainclothes policemen. The car of the delegation had previously been stopped on the road to Le Kef for about ten minutes by a group of officers of the national guard and plainclothes men who also refused to identify themselves.
The TMG delegation simply wanted to enquire about a possible visit to Mohammed Abbou. Members of the delegation were told they needed an authorisation to get near the prison gates. Samia Abbou, the wife of Mohammed Abbou, was granted a 15-minute visit.
TMG Chair Carl Morten Iversen declared: “I’m utterly outraged by what happened in Le Kef today. Unidentified men prevented us from accessing the street leading to the prison where Mohammed Abbou, the famous prisoner of opinion, is jailed, thus preventing us even from asking for permission to visit Mohammed Abbou. This is an abuse of power. Tomorrow we will be having a meeting at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights where we will be demanding answers vis-à-vis these events, while reiterating our call for the immediate release of Mohammed Abbou.”
Arrested on 1 March 2005, Abbou is currently serving a three and a half year prison sentence in connection to articles posted online in which he criticised Tunisian authorities.
Abbou was charged under both the press and penal codes for “publishing false reports inclined to disturb the public order,” “insult to the judiciary” and “inciting the population to break the country’s laws”. His sentence was announced on 29 April 2005 and later upheld by an appeals court in a 10 June 2005 hearing that international observers deplored as a “sham trial” during which neither Abbou, nor his lawyers, were allowed to contest the charges against him.
Abbou has been jailed under harsh conditions at El Kef prison. Since his imprisonment, Abbou’s wife and family have been repeatedly harassed and threatened by security forces.
The sixth mission of the TMG in Tunisia (27 February – 4 March 2007) is composed of representatives of INDEX on Censorship, PEN Norway, World Association of Newspapers (WAN), and International Publishers Association (IPA).
Members of the IFEX-TMG are:
Arabic Human Rights Information Network (HRinfo), Egypt
ARTICLE 19, UK
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Canada
Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), Egypt
Index on Censorship, UK
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Belgium
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), The Netherlands
International Press Institute (IPI), Austria
International Publishers’ Association (IPA), Switzerland
Journaliste en danger (JED), Democratic Republic of Congo
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibia
Norwegian PEN, Norway
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), Canada
World Association of Newspapers (WAN), France
World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), USA
Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN (WiPC), UK