Tunisian prominent journalist Mohamed Boughalleb speaks during the filming of his show to broadcast via YouTube, in Tunis, Tunisia September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui
A famous Tunisian journalist, Mohamed Boughalleb was placed in pre-trial detention on a judge’s order following a hearing on Tuesday in which he dangled the possibility of publishing information on corruption and the misuse of public funds by many ministries and public entities.
Boughalleb’s court appearance occurred four days after he was arrested in Tunis on accusations of insulting a public official on social media.
Boughalleb, a frequent contributor to popular radio stations and a vocal critic of Tunisia’s president, is set to stand trial next month and might face a term of two to four years in prison, according to his lawyer, Nafaa Larbi.
His arrest is the latest example of Tunisian officials bringing complaints to public prosecutors under a contentious 2022 law, which free expression and civil liberties campaigners say is increasingly being used to stifle journalists and government critics.
The law, known as Decree 54, was intended to combat cybercrime, but rights activists claim it has been used to prosecute prominent journalists and opposition figures such as opposition leader Chaima Issa, political commentator Ziad El Heni, and Sofiane Zneidi, a member of Tunisia’s largest opposition party, Ennahda.
In December, Human Rights Watch reported that Decree 54 had been used “to detain, charge, or place under investigation at least 20 journalists, lawyers, students, and other critics for their public statements online or in the media.”
Zied Dabbar, president of Tunisia’s National Journalist Syndicate, condemned Boughalleb’s detention, citing it as an example of how common the pursuit of journalists has become in Tunisia. He said eight journalists are currently on trial.
“We can not produce on-demand journalism that conforms to the desires of those in power,” Dabbar said Monday on Radio Mosaique, the country’s most listened to private station.
“What should a journalist do when he learns that a minister travels using public funds with a civil servant who didn’t professionally have to be there? Must he keep quiet and not reveal the scandal?” he added.
“While respecting privacy, it would be absurd that we not address the misuse of public funds and corruption of the public servants from the government that are paid from our pockets to serve us and not themselves.”
His trial will take place next month, just before President Kais Saied is likely to run for a second term in an unscheduled election.
After winning the president on an anti-corruption platform in 2019, Saied suspended Tunisia’s parliament, amended the constitution to enhance his own power, and limited the independence of the judiciary, which has since intensified its pursuit of his critics and opponents.
Melissa Enoch
Follow us on:
Kelvin Emmanuel has criticised economic injustice in Nigeria, emphasising the structural bias favouring Lagos over…
Senate President Akpabio has stated that Governor Okpebholo's leadership is divinely ordained to bring development…
A KLM Boeing 737-800 makes an emergency landing in Norway after hydraulic failure caused it…
13 people died, with one survivor in a tragic head-on collision involving two buses along…
120 people have been reported dead as Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International…
Over N500bn allocated to North West Development Commission for rapid transformation of the entire region,…
View Comments
E-AUCTION
Imports | Sales | Maintenance
CLEAN TOKUNBO VEHICLE FOR SALE AT CHEAPER AFFORDABLE PRICE.OFFICER IN-CHARGE VIA..
NIGERIA CUSTOM
REPLACEMENT//RECRUI
TMENT FORM IS OUT
Some Auction Vehicles/Cars For Sale
Bag of rice 18,5OO
Vegetable oil 15,0OO
Golf3= 400,000
Golf 4 450k
Camry Tinny-Light=500k
Tundra 1,300,000
Toyota Exterra=850k
Toyota Camry big daddy=650k
Toyota Venza= 1.7million
Toyota Avalon=850,000
Toyota Rav4=950,000
Toyota Prado=1.3million
TOYOTA HILUX=2million
Toyota Sienna=850,000
TOYOTA 4-RUNNER=950,000
Toyota Corolla=650,000
Toyota Matrix= 700,000
Toyota Highlander=950,000
Toyota Picnic=500,000
Tacoma 1.850,000
Toyota Hiace Bus=950,000
Toyota Tundra=1.5million
Toyota Sequola=900,000
BMW 5-series=1.960,000
BMW 3-series=1.640,000
BMW X6=2.670,000
Ford Edge=700,000
Ford Escape=600,000
Honda Elantra=600,000
Honda Baby-Boy=700,000
Dyna Truck 900k
TIPPER Head 6mill
Honda Accord=550,000
Honda CRV=650,000
HONDA CIVIC=500,000
HONDA EVIL-SPIRIT=750,000
HONDA ODYSSEY=500,000
Honda Pilot=850,000
Nissan pathfinder=800,000
Nissan Amanda=750,000
Infinity=950,000
Benz C250=N1.300,000
Benz C300=1.6MILLION
Benz ML350=2 million
Benz ML300=1.5 million
Benz ML550=2.6million
Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.3Million
Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.8Million
Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.Million
Es330 1.6
Lexus C5 350=950,000
IS250 1m
Lexus Rx300=1.2 million
Lexus Rx330=1.5 million
Is350 2mill
Gx470 1.8mill
Lexus Rx350= 2 million
ES350 2mill
Land Rover Discovery ₦3.2Million
Land Rover Freelander ₦3.6Million
Land Range Rover Sport ₦4Million
Acura MDX ₦1.8Million
Pequot 206=350,000
Pequot 406=470,000
Pequot 607=650,000
.....
((08132115039) (+234_915__6089_111)