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Amnesty International Denounces Tunisian Authorities' Clampdown on Media

Human rights activists accuse the authorities of suppressing freedom of expression under “Decree 54” approved by President Saied (EPA)
Human rights activists accuse the authorities of suppressing freedom of expression under “Decree 54” approved by President Saied (EPA)
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Amnesty International Denounces Tunisian Authorities' Clampdown on Media

Human rights activists accuse the authorities of suppressing freedom of expression under “Decree 54” approved by President Saied (EPA)
Human rights activists accuse the authorities of suppressing freedom of expression under “Decree 54” approved by President Saied (EPA)

A crackdown by Tunisian authorities on journalists and media figures is "methodically annihilating" what little remains of the country's hard-won freedoms, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

The rights groups said in a joint statement that authorities have "ramped up" their "repression of free speech" under Decree 54, a law against "false news", as the country readies for presidential elections set to take place this autumn.

"By attacking journalists and other media figures, Saied's government is moving to put the last nail in the coffin of Tunisia's civic space," Lama Fakih, Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa director, said, AFP reported.

The groups decried what they called the "undermining (of) the judiciary" in Tunisia.

This came as President Kais Saied dismissed more than 50 judges shortly after a sweeping power grab in 2021, while last year the government began a series of arrests that have most recently targeted political opponents and civil society figures.

"Tunisian authorities are methodically annihilating the last remaining gains of the 2011 revolution: freedom of expression and the press," Heba Morayef, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa director, said in the statement.

Ahead of the elections, Morayef urged the government to "ensure that all Tunisians are able to freely express their views" and that "independent media are able to conduct their reporting free from harassment or intimidation".

Both groups called on authorities to "immediately release those detained and drop all prosecutions for expression".

They also called for the repeal of "Decree-Law 2022-54, along with vague or overbroad provisions of other existing codes that have been used to criminalise free expression".

The groups highlighted the cases of media figures Borhen Bssais and Mourad Zeghidi, who were sentenced last week to one year in prison, and the co-founder of independent media Inkyfada, who was sentenced to nine months in prison.

They also mentioned the forceful arrest of lawyer and political commentator Sonia Dahmani under the same decree, after masked police raided the Tunisian bar association headquarters on May 11 -- two days before they arrested a second lawyer.

According to the rights groups, "over 70 people, including political opponents, lawyers, journalists, activists, human rights defenders and social media users have been subjected to arbitrary prosecutions since the end of 2022".

"At least 40 remain arbitrarily detained as of May 2024, with most of them held in connection with the exercise of their internationally protected rights."

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.