Tunisia - July 2024

In July, concerns increased regarding the arrest, imprisonment, and disqualification of opposition figures in Tunisia. The National Salvation Front (NSF), a coalition of secular and Islamist parties, accused Tunisian authorities of targeting political opponents to undermine the opposition before the presidential election scheduled for 6 October. Key incidents include travel and media appearance restrictions imposed on a presidential candidate and former Ennahda leader, along with the detention of Ennahda's Secretary-General and two other party members. Additionally, significant legal actions were taken against opposition figures, resulting in two individuals being sentenced to six to eight months in prison, with one also being disqualified from running for the presidency. Some opposition parties plan to boycott the upcoming election, citing unfair conditions. 

Sources: Anadolu Ajansi, Amnesty International, L’Économiste Maghrébin, Reuters, Associated Press 

On 17 July, Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) revised its 2018 media regulations, introducing two main changes. First, ISIE now has sole control over election media regulation, a role previously shared with the audiovisual authority (HAICA). Second, ISIE must now also report any suspected media offenses directly to the Public Prosecutor. The new regulations concentrate electoral media oversight solely in the hands of ISIE, reportedly aiming to ensure a "smooth" electoral process but raising concerns about their impact on media freedoms. By requiring ISIE to report directly to the prosecutor, these rules could criminalize journalists' activities and restrict their ability to freely and independently cover the upcoming 6 October presidential election.

Sources: Agence Tunis Afrique Press, La Presse, L’Economiste Maghrebin