A Tunisian journalist, virulent critic of President Kais Saied's policies, was placed in police custody on Friday for
"insulting others"
via social networks, his lawyer told AFP.
Mohamed Boughalleb, journalist and audiovisual figure in Tunisia, was summoned and interviewed on Friday by a brigade specializing in technological crimes in Aouina, in the northern suburbs of Tunis, following a complaint filed by a civil servant. at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said Me Hamadi Zaafrani.
“After hours of hearing, it was decided to place him in police custody for 48 hours
,” he added.
According to local media, the complainant accuses him of having
“damaged her honor and reputation”
, in her publications on her Facebook page as well as in her media interventions.
“This affair is only a new attempt to intimidate journalists and silence them by exploiting the state apparatus
,” lamented the president of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists, Zied Dabbar.
Mr. Boughalleb is known for his criticism of the political class and of President Saied.
According to the Snjt, around twenty journalists are being prosecuted for their work.
Tunisian journalists often denounce the
“repressive”
policy of the government which, according to them, uses justice to intimidate and subjugate the media.
Local and international NGOs have warned of a decline in freedoms in Tunisia since President Saied assumed full powers on July 25, 2021.