Post date: Jan 07, 2011 12:41:18 PM
Meida watchdog Reporters Without Borders accuses the Tunisian government of jailing journalists and bloggers to stop them from covering growing discontent and protests.
PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 7, 2011) REUTERS - Reporters Without Borders said on Friday (January 7) they are worried the situation in Tunisia could get worse for journalists and bloggers.
There have been street protests in Tunisia by students, professionals and youths angry about job cuts and
restrictions on public freedom - the most widespread and violent flare-up of popular dissent in President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's 23-year rule.According to the French NGO, bloggers have been arrested recently for commenting on the popular discontent.
The head of Reporters Without Borders, Jean-Francois Julliard, says the journalists should be allowed to do their job without the threat of jail and accuses the authorities of curtailing freedom of speech.
"We are asking for the release of all those who are in jail for just telling the story of what is going on in their country. And we are asking above all for journalists to have access to what is going on in the country at the moment. The special envoy for the newspaper "Le Monde" hasn't been able to set foot in Tunisia. That's unacceptable. Local journalists are not able to work in the region where there is trouble so we are simply asking for the Tunisian authorities to let the journalists do their job," he says.
Protests were triggered last month when a young man set himself on fire in front of a government building in the central town of Sidi Bouzid. He said police seized his fruit and vegetable cart over a permit and that this drove him to suicide.
His self-immolation has become a powerful symbol of dissatisfaction amongst the jobless graduates, trade unionists and human right activists. Protests have spread to other towns including the capital Tunis.
The 26-year-old man, Mohammed Bouazizi, who had set himself alight, died on Tuesday of his burns. Demonstrations had tapered off last week but resumed on
Wednesday (January 5) after his burial.
Julliard warned the situation could get worse.
"We are worried, worried because we feel that there is a toughening of the situation, the authorities, especially President Ben Ali has no intention at all of letting up on this, he only wants to muffle this discontent as soon as possible, he wants his country to go back to this image of a tourist paradise, the beaches, security, peace and so on, so I think he's ready to do anything. There has already been 5 deaths, that's a lot, today several people are in jail, unfortunately I think that the situation is likely to get worse in the coming days," said Julliard.
Apart from Bouazizi, three people are reported to have died in the unrest. Two civilians were killed last month when police fired in what they said was self-defence as they tried to quell rioters in the southern town of Bouziane.
Tunisia, a minor oil producing country with a Mediterranean coastline that is popular with European tourists, has done more than many Arab states to empower women and provide education for youth.
But some Tunisians complain that investment has focused on the coast and left other areas marginalised.
The government has accused opponents of manipulating the Sidi Bouzid clashes to discredit the authorities, and Ben Ali said that violent protests were unacceptable.