Journalist Slim Boukhdhir released from Tunisian prison
2008-07-23
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."
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عدنان الحسناوى Posted 2008-07-24
After this positive move, we ask that there should be a consideration of this topic, the role of some papers close to the government in Tunisia in disseminating and promoting the ideology of religious extremism and terrorism by providing free support and propaganda to terrorist movements. These days, some pro-government papers in Tunisia make a free propaganda to terrorist movements. Instead of publishing news about the progress of the Syrian-Israeli negotiations, promoting the regional and international understanding, it is only talking about the triumph of “Hezbollah” and news about “Hamas”. It doesn’t criticize in any way the performance of the Tunisian government. We record that since the beginning of 2008, was open again in the same way as in the period of 1979/1987 to promoting the Salafist movement. The result of this was the rise of the Islamic movement “Annahda” currently. Now, with this step backward, the citizen is consuming a media product which is similar to the one presented in the curricula of Taliban schools. With this attitude, it is doing acts contrary to the stipulations of the law to fight terrorism issued in December 2003 and the Universal Declaration about fundamental principles concerning the contribution of the media to support world peace and understanding, boost human rights and fight racism, discrimination and incitation on war. Yes the government has made major and positive efforts to fight international terrorism. But it has also used this issue to justify violations of human rights especially the political and elimination of political opponents.
أبو محمد(صحافي تونسي) Posted 2008-07-24
Firstly, Lotfi Hajji isn’t the president of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists. The president of the union is Naji El Baghouri. Lotfi Haji was the president of the Union of Tunisian Journalists which was liquidated and its members have joined the National Union of Tunisian Journalists. Secondly, concerning the issue of Samir Boukhdir, it is an issue which requires special consideration and follow-up. Many journalists know Slim well just through his writings on the internet. It wasn’t possible to publish this information while the man was in prison. But today that he is free and he can defend himself, we will publish it. Salim Boukhdir was one of the journalists who were known for receiving bribery from representatives and artists. Any journalist can ask the actor Mohamed Laaouni, the musician Mohamed Jebbaki, Raouf Coca and Mounir Hamdi, the list is long. Salim Boukhdir has defended witchcraft and witches for a long time by publishing paid articles by the astrologer Hassan Cherni. He was even the first who made an interview with the man who pretended to be a prophet in Sfax. He received 400 dinars for that. Adoua magazine still exists. Salim Boukhdir practised all forms of fraud in the journalistic work. Therefore, he was unable to settle in any paper. Ask Salim Boukhdir why he was dismissed from “Sadaa Atoulata”, “Adouaa” and “Assarih” before he becomes a human rights activist. Samir Boukhdir, before he randomly moves to the opposition, he published a long letter in “Akhbar Al Joumhouriya” addressed to the president of the state asking him to interfere in his favour in order to carry out a surgery. He wrote words about the president of the republic which weren’t written by “Al Houryia” newspaper.
إسماعيل دبارة Posted 2008-07-24
To the colleague Abou Mohamed. Firstly, I want to join my voice to the voice of the first commenter. Honestly, a big mistake was published by Magharebia through the colleague Jamel Arfaoui who is known for his high professionalism. The colleague Lotfi Haji isn’t the head of the Union of Tunisian Journalists; it is Naji El Baghouri who is the head of the Union. To the colleague Abou Mohamed, every journalist has his pitfalls and mistakes. However, your denunciation of the militant journalist is suspicious. So I hope that this will be redressed. Our defence of journalism and freedom of expression in Tunisia as well as our calls against the imprisonment of journalists should surpass personal differences which are clear from your comments. Thanks to everyone. Long live the Tunisian press free and independent. Ismail.
أبو محمد(صحافي تونسي) Posted 2008-07-26
To the colleague Ismail Debara. Be sure that I have no personal conflicts with Slim Boukhdir. The information I published is correct. There are more which will be published later. I support you and support the efforts of all journalists in defending the freedom of the press and expression in Tunisian. Maybe I have personally paid the price and I am still paying. The main issue is who can defend the freedom of expression in Tunisia and especially be committed to that. I am against the imprisonment of any journalist for his opinions and the news he publishes. But I am at the same time against any opportunist act and against those who are just seeking fame. In the eighties and before that, running for fame and opportunism was made through the gate of the ruling party. However, today the gate of the civil society and rightist struggle has become a gate through which these people infiltrate. This will damage the rightist activity in Tunisia.
Ibrahim Posted 2009-05-06
The entire Arab world is plauged with self imposed censorship which curtails even the basic human rights of people, such as acess to information. The issues of Free Speech are an alien concept to the Muslim world in general and the Arab societies in particular. Till such time as the respect for basic human rights does not become an integral part of the Arab societies, there is no hope for growth and development.
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