A Tunisian court today released Nasreddine Ben Saida, general director of the Arabic-language daily Attounissia, who was arrested on 15 February after his newspaper published a photo German-Tunisian footballer Sami Khedira with his naked...
Tunisian blogger tells of assault by police
In a period of less than three months, Zakaria Bouguira, a Tunisian blogger and medical student, has been assaulted twice by police. The first time was on 13 November last year as he was videotaping police officers physically and verbally abusing...
Tunisia: Court rules against web filtering in key test of new freedoms
On 22 February the Cassation Court of Tunis (Tunisia's highest court of appeal) overturned a verdict ordering Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) to filter pornography on the internet. The court has sent the case back to the Court of Appeal. On May, 26,...
Tunisia: Provocative shot of Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira and naked girlfriend lands media executive in prison
Nasreddine Ben Saida, the general director of the Arabic-language daily newspaper Attounissia, has become the first media executive to be jailed in post Ben Ali era. Ben Saida, was not jailed for criticising the President, nor the government. He...
Samir Feriani trial delayed
On 16 February a court postponed the trial of Samir Feriani to 1 March. Ferani is charged with “distributing false information”, and “accusing a public employee of violating law without proof". Feriani, a former senior official at the Interior...
Tunisia: Journalist accused of filming Nessma TV trial faces fine
On Sunday, 13 February, the Tunis court of first instance ordered Cheker Besbes, a journalist for the private radio station Mosaique FM, to pay a fine of 200 dinars (around GBP £82), for allegedly videotaping a hearing in trial of Nessma TV...
Abdel Aziz-Al-Jaridi faces prison time for defaming Al-Jazeera anchor
On 10 February, Abdel Aziz Al-Jaridi, director of two daily newspapers, Al-Hadath and Kul-Anas, will appeal a defamation conviction. Al-Jaridi was sentenced to four months in prison by the first instance court on 13 June 2011 for defaming...
Blocking porn marks key test of net freedom in Tunisia
The fall of the regime of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali has allowed internet users in Tunisia to enjoy a period of unfettered web access after the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) turned off its censorship machines. Now the internet censorship debate has...

“The internet is freedom”: Index speaks to Tunisian Internet Agency chief
The Tunisian Internet Agency was the Ben Ali regime’s instrument for censoring the web. Now, as it attempts to break ties with the past,
Afef Abrougui talks to its CEO about the online challenges facing Tunisia
“The internet is freedom”: Index speaks to Tunisian Internet Agency chief
The regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was an enemy to internet freedom. Significant resources were spent on censorship of the web. The Tunisian Internet Agency (established in 1996, and known as the ATI by its French acronym), was the regime’s...
Tunisians defend free media on 1 February
On 1 February Tunisian journalists raised the slogan ‘’no to assaults against journalists, no to restrictions on freedoms of expression, and no to guardianship over media”, organising a campaign defending freedom of press. On 27 January,...
Tunisian journalist faces sack for Ennahdha critcism
Popular Tunisian journalist Haythem El Mekki, is under enormous pressure to resign from national television after been accused of bias. Mekki has been suspended from his position at Tunisian TV station El Watanya I, where he co-hosts a programme...