Supporters of Kais Saied seut up the Tunisian flag on the roof of a store in front of riot police during a demonstration held in front of the building of the Tunisian parliament on July 26, 2021. (Photo by Chedly Ben Ibrahim/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Uphold press freedoms in Tunisia
Following the latest political developments, IMS urges Tunisia’s President Kais Saied to protect press freedoms and freedom of expression – both enshrined in the country’s constitution. Journalists also have the responsibility of following internationally recognised guidelines for professional and ethical news coverage, which is especially important during political unrest.
For the past decade, Tunisia has seen positive developments on freedom of expression and access to information. IMS has supported independent media and the protection of media freedoms in Tunisia since the revolution in 2011.
Since President Saied dismissed the country’s prime minister and suspended parliament, security forces raided Al Jazeera’s Tunis office on Monday without a warrant and ejected its staff, a step staunchly condemned by the journalists’ syndicate (SNJT).
Saied’s move comes after months of intensifying political tension and power struggles in a country facing recession, severe hardships and popular distrust of the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic among other crises.
IMS firmly stands for journalists’ rights to do their jobs and urges the President to uphold press freedoms in spite of emergency measures. In a time of uncertainty, balanced, professional and ethical journalism serves the public’s interest more than ever.
