A Tunisian judge has handed down a six-month prison sentence to journalist and political commentator Mohamed Boughalleb, marking the latest crackdown on media members who voice criticism against the government.
Boughalleb, accused of insulting a civil servant, was convicted on Wednesday and will continue to serve his sentence.
He has been in detention since his arrest last month, following a complaint filed by a civil servant.
The official alleged that Boughalleb’s remarks linking him to corruption and misappropriation of public funds caused offense.
The complaint against Mohamed Boughalleb, filed by a member of the Tunisian Ministry of Religious Affairs, stemmed from his questioning of the official’s foreign trips with the minister on Facebook, labeling them as a “waste of public funds”.
Subsequently, Boughalleb faced accusations of violating defamation laws outlined in Tunisia’s penal code and telecommunications code.
Boughalleb, aged 60, had his conviction denounced by his lawyers as an “attack on freedom of expression”, raising concerns about its potential political motivations.
His case adds to a growing chorus of Tunisians who have voiced skepticism regarding the government’s crackdown on its critics, particularly as President Kais Saied gears up for a potential second term as the leader of the North African nation.
Ziad Dabbar, president of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists, highlighted that authorities have increasingly targeted and arrested journalists this year, with approximately 20 currently facing similar charges.
The conviction of prominent radio and television commentator Mohamed Boughalleb represents “another attempt to silence free voices and hinder journalists from fulfilling their duties”, according to Dabbar.
Journalists critical of the government are among several groups in Tunisia whose civil liberties have been curtailed.
Over 20 activists and politicians critical of President Kais Saied have been in detention for over a year, accused of plotting against state security in cases that their supporters have criticized as politically motivated.
The recent prosecution of journalists, cartoonists, and political opponents in Tunisia has occurred almost five years after the current President, Mr. Saied, won the election on an anti-corruption platform.
This happened just a few months prior to his second term bid, for an election that hasn’t been scheduled yet.
After his inauguration, Mr. Saied suspended the Tunisian parliament and rewrote the constitution to strengthen his own power.
Consequently, the judicial system’s independence was greatly reduced, and it has since been targeting critics and opponents of the government.
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