Tunisia: Freedom of Expression under Siege

International Freedom of Expression Exchange Tunisia Monitoring Group

Press Release - 22/02/05

Tunisia: Freedom of Expression under Siege

International freedom of expression organizations today expressed grave
concern about the poor state of freedom of expression in Tunisia, host
country for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which is to
be held in Tunis, November 2005.

A 60-page report on the state of freedom of expression in Tunisia and the
conditions for participation in the WSIS to be held in Tunis, November
2005 has been published today by the International Freedom of expression
Exchange Tunisia Monitoring Group, a group of 13 national, regional and
international freedom of expression organizations.

The report, released to coincide with the second Preparatory Committee for
the WSIS, in Geneva 17-25 February, sets out the findings of a mission to
Tunisia of freedom of expression groups. It makes a series of
recommendations to the Tunisian government to bring the country in line
with international human rights standards.

The main recommendations of the report are that the Tunisian government
should release all prisoners of opinion, end arbitrary administrative
detentions, release the cyber-dissidents of Zarzis and Ariana, end
harassment and assaults on human rights activists, stop blocking websites,
end censorship of books and newspapers, open up the press and
broadcasting sector, respect freedom of movement, assembly and
association, allow independent investigation of alleged cases of torture
by the security forces.

-ends-

Further information:
Alexis Krikorian +41 79 214 5530

The full report is available at:
English http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/64665/
French http://www.ifex.org/fr/content/view/full/64664/

Notes:

1. The International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) is a global
network of 64 national, regional and international freedom of expression
organisations.

2. This report is based on a fact-finding mission to Tunisia undertaken
from 14 to 19 January 2005 by members of the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring
Group (IFEX-TMG) together with additional background research and
Internet testing.

3. The mission was composed of the Egyptian Organization of Human Rights,
International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, International Publishers
Association, Norwegian PEN, World Association of Community Radio
Broadcasters (AMARC) and World Press Freedom Committee.

4. Other members of IFEX-TMG are: ARTICLE 19, Canadian Journalists for
Free Expression (CJFE), the Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Studies
(CEHURDES), Index on Censorship, Journalistes en Danger (JED), Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), and World Association of Newspapers
(WAN).

5. The principle findings of the mission were:
- Imprisonment of individuals related to expression of their opinions or
media activities.
- Blocking of websites, including news and information websites, and
police surveillance of e-mails and Internet cafes.
- Blocking of the distribution of books and
publications.
- Restrictions on the freedom of association, including the right of
organizations to be legally established and to hold meetings.
- Restrictions on the freedom of movement of human rights defenders and
political dissidents together with police surveillance, harassment,
intimidation and interception of communications.
- Lack of pluralism in broadcast ownership, with only one private radio
and one private TV broadcaster, both believed to be loyal supporters of
President Ben Ali.
- Press censorship and lack of diversity of content in newspapers. - Use
of torture by the security services with
impunity.