- Although Tunisian government is reportedly promoting itself as a progressive state that protects human rights, but reports by committee that protects journalists (CPJ) has unveiled that government aggressively silences newsmen and others who challenge policies of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
According to report, nicknamed, "The Smiling Oppressor," CPJ has found journalists are subject to routine imprisonment, assault, harassment, and censorship in Tunisia.
President Ben Ali's administration reportedly enjoys close ties with western governments, which have been largely silent about country's press freedom record.
But CPJ's investigation found that Tunisia falls well short of internationally accepted standards for free expression.
Report shows that Mr Ben Ali's administration imposes broad restrictions on news coverage, banning, for example, coverage that could be construed as "offending the president," while it tightly regulates licensing of print and broadcast media.
It says licenses are doled out to government allies and denied to potentially critical news outlets.
CPJ found out that critical journalists who turn to Internet or small opposition newspapers have been harassed by security agents, subject to assault, and even jailed.
Tunisia, along with Morocco, leads Arab world in jailing journalists.
"Known across world for its stunning beaches and tourist locales, Tunisia quietly operates a police state at home," report says.
It further says, "Print press does not criticise president and is largely paralysed by self-censorship. Few critical voices who do write on Internet, for foreign publications, and low-circulation opposition weeklies are regularly harassed and marginalised by Tunisian authorities."
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español