Journalist Slim Boukhdhir released from Tunisian prison

23/07/2008

Tunisian journalist Slim Boukhdhir was released from prison Monday after serving seven months of a year-long sentence. Many believe Boukhdhir's arrest and conviction resulted from the writer's criticism of the Tunisian government.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 23/07/08

[File] Tunisian journalist was released on Monday after serving seven months for charges many say stemmed from his criticism of the government.

In a move that took Tunisia's press community by surprise, authorities released jailed journalist Slim Boukhdhir on Monday (July 21st), seven months into the sentence he was serving in a Sfax prison.

A freelance journalist and regular contributor to London-based al-Quds al-Arabi, Boukhdhir was sent to prison for one year for "insulting a public employee" and "violating public decency", accusations his lawyers and a number of human rights organisations believe to have been fabricated in response to the journalist's harsh criticism of the authorities.

The move came just days before Tunisia celebrates the Day of the Republic on July 25th, an occasion the President has traditionally used to pardon prisoners or reduce their sentences.

Boukhdhir told Magharebia that his release was "not a personal victory, but a victory for all advocates of freedom".

"I hope to be the last journalist imprisoned in Tunisia," he said.

Boukhdhir vowed not to change the style of his writing, "because I respect myself and respect my profession, which requires professionalism and accuracy... as well as courage".

The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) supported Boukhdhir throughout his ordeal, calling for his release as recently as last Friday.

During last week's union meeting, SNJT President Lotfi Hajji said that after spending seven months of his imprisonment term, Boukhdhir "deserves a parole and the authorities must take into consideration his health and the difficult situation of his family, especially as he is their sole breadwinner."

Neji Bghouri, Secretary-General of the SNJT, said the release was due in part to the group's many appeals to the government. In a statement issued Tuesday, the organisation said Boukhdhir's release was one of its central demands in a May 3rd report on press freedoms in Tunisia.

"The Executive Office hopes that this step will be followed by other positive steps for meeting the legitimate demands of SNJT," the report concludes.

From New York, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement in which it expressed its joy over the release of Boukhdhir.

A CPJ delegation paid a week-long visit to Tunisia last month to assess the actual situation of the press and freedom in the Maghreb nation.

"We welcome this release and are relieved that our colleague has at last regained his freedom," said CPJ Middle East programme co-ordinator Joel Campagna. "But the unfortunate reality is that Slim Boukhdhir never should have been jailed in the first place. His unjust imprisonment underscores the troubling state of media freedoms in Tunisia. We hope that with Boukhdhir's release Tunisian authorities will halt the practice of putting writers behind bars and rid itself of its dubious distinction as the Arab world's leading jailer of journalists over the last seven years."

Saying Boukhdhir's place "is not in prison", Reporters without Borders (RSF) issued a statement from Paris in which it called on Tunisian authorities to "stop harassing independent journalists and their families, to open up the media avenues and lift the obstacles from websites".

Mohamed Ennouri, President of the Freedom and Fairness Association expressed his organisation's joy "over the release of the free pen and one of the founding members of Freedom and Fairness Association, journalist Slim Boukhdhir".

"We would like to congratulate his family on this good news, Ennouri said, "and we wish him good health after the harassment he suffered while in jail."