Dozens of journalists gathered in Tunis to demand the release of Mohamed Yousfi, whose detention has intensified concerns over shrinking press freedoms in Tunisia.
Tunis, Tunisia (Running Africa) — Dozens of Tunisian journalists and activists have protested the detention of Mohamed Yousfi, editor-in-chief of investigative news website Alqatiba, as concerns grow over the treatment of independent media in Tunisia.
Yousfi was arrested on Friday after arriving at a radio station in Tunis for a scheduled interview.
Prosecutors accuse the journalist of illicit enrichment and money laundering, including allegedly receiving suspicious funds from abroad. His lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, has rejected the accusations, saying the case contains no concrete evidence of wrongdoing.
Tunisia Journalists Rally Behind Mohamed Yousfi
The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) has raised concerns about Yousfi’s health while in detention.
According to the union, Yousfi’s condition deteriorated after he underwent surgery for appendicitis.
The SNJT said members of his legal team were forced to interrupt questioning to obtain medication after he began experiencing severe pain.
SNJT Raises Concerns Over Pressure on Tunisian Media
SNJT head Zied Dabbar described Yousfi’s arrest as part of what the union views as a wider campaign against journalists in Tunisia.
Dabbar said reporters increasingly face imprisonment, prosecution or exile. Several other Tunisian media figures have been jailed or prosecuted this year.
International press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders has also called for Yousfi’s immediate release, arguing that the allegations against him do not justify his continued detention.
Tunisia Media Freedom Under Scrutiny
Yousfi’s case comes amid broader debate over press freedom and democratic rights in Tunisia.
Concerns over political and media freedoms have intensified since President Kais Saied concentrated significant powers in 2021, when he suspended parliament and later introduced major changes to the country’s political system.
The government has previously defended its actions as necessary to strengthen state institutions and combat corruption, while critics and rights groups have raised concerns about restrictions on political and media freedoms.
As Yousfi remains in detention, his case is likely to remain a focus for Tunisian journalists, rights organizations and international media freedom groups monitoring conditions for independent reporting in the country.
